4 Ways to Help Kids and Teens Suffering From Anxiety

Nine months ago, when I had my second baby, I started having some pretty intense anxiety. My throat and chest always felt tight, my mind could not slow down, and I was scared of pretty much everything. It was really rough, to say the least, and I wish I had known then about products that are useful to treat anxiety. Though I am feeling much better now, I have been left in awe at how people who live with anxiety regularly are able to move through it and function because that was definitely hard while I was experiencing it.

Anxiety is almost always a result of feeling a lack of control. Being a kid is such a perfect storm for feeling this. Think about it, as a kid you can’t make a lot of decisions without the consent of a parent, and you are smaller, younger, and less experienced. Couple that with spending most of your time inside and with technology, kids are at a pretty high risk of experiencing symptoms of anxiety.

So what can we do to help our children who struggle with anxiety?

First let me share three ways to help curb the symptoms for your child, and then let me offer some parenting strategies that have been shown to help kids struggling with anxiety. For adults it’s more of a simple approach, as they’re usually given some form of medication that’s been prescribed by a doctor, or they can take something else like this lansing marijuana, however with children, you will need to try out some different strategies as listed below.

The Perfect Anxiety Fighting Trifecta; Eat Well, Sleep Well, Move A Lot.

Dessert for breakfast, yes please!! What kid would turn that down? And what parent doesn’t think it’s a bad idea? But what a lot of us don’t understand is that’s exactly what most breakfasts are for kids. Cereals, toast with jelly, pancakes with syrup are all high sugar foods and don’t provide what our brains need to stay balanced. Meals need fats, complex carbohydrates that contain fiber, and protein in order to sustain brain function. Swap pancakes for eggs, or cereal for sausages. Trade orange juice for an orange. Add some veggies and potatoes into the mix. Start small but move in that direction for breakfast, and all meals, then watch the magic happen!!

Kids are trading in sleep for technology. Lack of sleep is a predictor of obesity, symptoms of anxiety, and symptoms of depression. Kids who sleep enough are more likely to excel at sports and academics. So, turn off the television, and give the phones/computers/tablets/video games a bedtime of at least one hour before you expect your child to sleep. Get a sleep routine going. Maybe it’s shower, read, meditate/pray, lights out. Whatever it is, plan for it to happen each day before bed to trigger those cozy sleepy feelings, and aim for getting your child the right amount of sleep for his or her age. Getting them a high-quality mattress can make a whole lot of difference and they can purchase these at an affordable price by using coupons from websites like this one https://www.raise.com/coupons/saatva to help them get a great night’s sleep.

Get those kids moving! Physical activity has been shown to improve mood as much as some medications. Make your family culture one of movement so it’s just part of everyday life. Go for family bike rides or walks. Hit the local swimming pool. Create an obstacle course and have your kids try to beat their own time. Sign them up for soccer or dance. Go out back and kick the ball around. Get the kids moving in any way you can. It’s really simple but makes a huge impact.

Parenting Kids Who Have Anxiety:

As a bonus, I’d like to add one more thing to the trifecta. Give kids, especially those with symptoms of anxiety, as much control over their own life as you possibly can. They want to wear a sweatshirt in 100 degree weather, sweet, let them figure out that is an terrible idea all on their own. They don’t want you to bug them about finishing their homework, okay they get a bad grade and figure out that it feels awful to know they could have done better. Guys, this is HARD! It’s also preparing them for real life and guess what, getting them into a place where they are in control of their own lives. For kids, feeling in control helps ease anxiety so very much.

Anxiety is real, it’s hard, but it’s also treatable. Please have your child assessed by their pediatrician and get the professional help they may need, but also remember the things that you can do at home to provide relief.

Christine Cain MSSW

P.S. For a great book on letting kids feel in control, read The Self Driven Child by William Stixrud, PhD & Ned Johnson