Anxiety: Prevention is better than Cure

 

As the Mentally Healthy University Ambassador for ‘Mind’, a 75-year-old charity in England, I have learned a lot about mental health problems and solutions, from their interactive workshops.  Have you wondered, when does anxiety get converted into a mental health problem? It may happen when an individual fears or worries disproportionately in any situation, the discomforting feeling is quite strong and persistent, it is distressing and hard to control, and may even escalate to panic attacks. This amounts to a roadblock in the happy journey of life.

 

It may come as a surprise to you that not only adults, but also kids are prone to anxiety. During childhood, a staggering 67% of children are worried, due to a variety of reasons which makes them emotionally vulnerable to threat, leading to anxiety. When they are disturbed disproportionately, and the intensity of their fears disrupts their routine functioning, the condition gets transformed to anxiety disorders. The causes could range from (i) genetic, (ii) environmental, (iii) parental influences, to the (iv) child’s own characteristics. Notably, the sedentary lifestyle, and extended screen time which pre-occupies them instead of outdoor physical activities, is a modern-day catalyst too.

 

The impact is felt by the child, prima-facie, then the care-givers, and teachers. The disorder adversely affects their overall development, which contributes to adolescent and adulthood problems, if left unattended. They can develop into specific phobias, OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), separation anxiety and social anxiety, at times. For instance, toddlers wail and cry on account of separation anxiety, when the parents leave the room. Hence, early ‘prevention is better than cure’ to avoid anxiety development.

 

Turning now to factors responsible for anxiety in youth, a longitudinal research performed in 2011 indicated that (i) insecure attachment, (ii) negative parenting styles, (iii) adverse life events, and (iv) parental anxiety, are the prime reasons. Whether children, or youngsters, anxiety makes one irritable, tearful, marked by sleep irregularities, and nightmares as well. These, in turn, makes them lose confidence, concentration, appetite, temper, and positivity, with time. Interestingly, a 2017 study found that binge-watching television, movies (and I feel that series OTT, typically during lockdown), can increase symptoms of anxiety! So, watch out how much you watch from tonight—the pressure keeps mounting every hour. I am a movie-lover; nonetheless, avoid watching 10 Cloverfield Lane, 127 Hours, The Shining, Trapped, or Pihu—whether you are fond of Hollywood or Bollywood cinema. Just some not-so-fun facts.  

 

All said, what can be done to overcome anxiety? Frankly, the treatment is decided based on the severity of symptoms, and the preference and comfort of the patient. The alternatives, as per Mind, could be self-help by developing a routine for self-care, talk therapy, or medication—all with differing permutation combination. In the case of children, parents need to keep anxiety at bay by teaching emotional literacy, for example, how to deep breathe when they get jitters before a poem recitation on stage. In addition, their energy should be used playing on the field, i.e. getting some physical exercise. Blowing bubbles or candles also relieves anxious kids. In the competitive environment of today, pushing them to participate in dramatics, swimming, learning to play the piano, and take mental math tutorials—may be a little overwhelming. Instead, creating a stronger bond and building trust can act as a shock absorber, whenever they find it difficult to handle situations.

 

To sum up, in such precarious times of the prevalent pandemic, the increasing dependence on online platforms for the treatment of anxiety has hiked the importance of computer-driven interventions. Remote treatment is being resorted to, while maintaining the desired distance, for the purpose of either implementing the therapy or for reinforcing later the progress of main sessions. Thus, we are still searching for viable options, but one point is crystal clear—since anxiety develops when we try to do too much all at once, just take a break. Have a Kit-Kat! Go easy on yourself. You’ll feel better.

 

Rajavee Arora