The fact is, a little bit of worry is a good thing for children and adults — it motivates and helps children with performance. Also, in the case of a true emergency, some concern is biologically advantageous. However, when worry turns to anxiety, there is no longer an advantage. To the contrary, performance is adversely affected and no one, not you or your child, feels very good.
How can children who worry excessively turn their worry into an appropriate level of concern and feel better? A three pronged approach that combines (1) an understanding of what causes anxiety, (2) changing one’s thoughts, and (3) changing one’s behavior, is needed.
Understanding Why People Worry
It can be helpful to share with children what we know about worrying. We know that some people have a predisposition to get worried more easily. As a result, they startle more easily and feel physical sensations and negative thoughts more readily. Over time, a habit develops where both physical symptoms and negative thoughts occur automatically and too often. The goal is to help children change the way they think and act so that they develop new habits towards approaching challenging situations. Explaining that worrying is a habit that can be broken is reassuring to children.
