6 Signs Your Child Might Be Suffering From Anxiety
Three experts weigh in on the subtle ways your little one might be asking for your help.
We've all experienced some level of anxiety in our lives. And to a certain extent, those feelings are healthy: Anxiety can help us to recognize and avoid danger, or push us forward when an important task needs to be completed. It's when those feelings of anxiety begin to disrupt our daily routines that they become a problem — and a potentially crippling one for those who struggle with it, at that.
Although anxiety might seem like a complex emotion reserved for adults and the stresses and pressures that come with age, a surprising number of kids deal with these diagnosable disorders. In fact, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, one in every eight children suffers from an anxiety disorder.
Unfortunately, though, these disorders can be remarkably hard for a parent to even recognize in their children — children don't often verbalize these complex feelings, and their behavioral symptoms are easy to pass off as "just a phase." And because of this, roughly 80% of children with a diagnosable anxiety disorder go untreated, the ADAA reports.
So, to help us recognize what anxiety looks like in children, we turned to three children's mental health experts to identify the sneakiest signs that a kid might be struggling with an anxiety disorder. And if these six symptoms sound all too familiar? Your next move is to consult a mental health professional.
Heather Finn is the content strategy editor at Good Housekeeping, where she heads up the brand's social media strategy and covers entertainment news on everything from ABC's 'The Good Doctor' to Netflix's latest true crime documentaries.
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