Symptoms of anxiety
When a child suffers from anxiety, it can often affect all areas of their life. General symptoms of anxiety can include:
- Excessive anxiety and worry
- Fatigue
- Restlessness
- Poor concentration
- Inability to control fear or worry
Types of Anxiety in children
Anxiety can effect how children feel and how they think. When a child does not outgrow their fears and worries and their fears interfere with their life, the child may be diagnosed with anxiety. There are several different types of anxiety that can present in children.
- Social anxiety - Social anxiety occurs when a child has an excessive fear of situations where they have to interact with other people or be the focus of attention
- Separation anxiety - Children that experience fear and worry when separated from their parents may suffer from separation anxiety.
- Generalised anxiety - This is a type of anxiety where children worry about many different areas of life.
Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety and Depression are two mental health disorders that often appear together in children. Some children experience extreme feelings of fear and sadness together with anxiety All children will occasionally feel sad or hopeless from time to time, but sometimes, these emotions will persist and they may experience depression. A depressed child may experience the following:
- Feel sad and irritable a lot of the time
- Not be interested in doing fun things
- Change in eating, sleeping or energy
- Difficulty paying attention
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Self injury or destructive behaviours
If you are concerned that your child may be suffering from anxiety or depression, contact us at Swan Valley Psychology on ph 08 93793580. We can offer support and advice to you and your family and help you through a difficult time. Talk to us about treatment options for children suffering from anxiety or depression.