When your child is afraid, you can help by doing these things: Comfort your infant, toddler, or very young child by saying, "It's OK, you're safe, I'm here." Let your child know you're there to protect them. Give hugs and soothing words to help your child feel safe. As your child grows, talk and listen.
Practice ways to calm and relax your mind and body, such as deep breathing, relaxation exercises, yoga, and meditation. Exercise, eat well, and practice other healthful lifestyle habits. Try to limit caffeine, sugar, and alcohol as much as possible.
Counselling can help your child understand what's making them anxious and allow them to work through the situation. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can help your child manage their anxiety by changing the way they think and behave.
Parental anxiety can increase a child's risk of developing childhood anxiety. One 2019 review analyzed 25 studies and concluded that children were significantly more likely to have anxiety and depressive disorders if their parents had an anxiety disorder.
Little kids are more prone to freaking out when afraid because their fight or flight responses are fully formed, but their “high road” neural pathways are still a work in progress.
Talk with your child about the reasons why he or she does not want to go to school. Consider all the possibilities and state them. Be sympathetic, supportive, and understanding of why he or she is upset. Try to resolve any stressful situations the two of you identify as causing his worries or symptoms.
The symptoms of stage fright are due to activation of your sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the “fight-or-flight” response. In this type of physiological response, the body releases adrenaline into the system in preparation for quick action.
Fear starts in the part of the brain called the amygdala. According to Smithsonian Magazine, “A threat stimulus, such as the sight of a predator, triggers a fear response in the amygdala, which activates areas involved in preparation for motor functions involved in fight or flight.
Slow down and pause everything. Our first impulse when facing fear is to take action, but when we are emotional, we typically don't use our best judgment. ...
This technique asks you to find five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. Using this with someone who feels anxious will help to calm them down and reduce their feelings of anxiety.
She said: 'Essentially, you tick your way through your five senses and name 5 things you can see at this very moment, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel (like your feet in your shoes, your bum on a chair), 2 things you can smell, and one thing you can taste, even if it's just the inside of your mouth or a sip ...
