Anxiety disorders

We all feel worried or anxious from time to time. It can feel a bit uncomfortable, but it’s totally normal. In fact, a little bit of anxiety can be a good thing! The problem is that too much anxiety too often can make us feel unwell. You can’t get rid of all worry and anxiety in your life, but you can learn how to thrive anyway—and learn when to ask for extra help.

As mental health professionals, we knew about many web-based resources that help women with postpartum depression, but wondered why there weren’t more resources on how to effectively manage anxiety during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Luckily, there are many things you can do to feel more resilient and able to cope, even over the long term. The key is to build a tool kit of multiple strategies. The tricky part is that some of the most valuable strategies might actually increase distress in the short term, but are essential for making us feel better over time.

The responsibility of caring for a new baby can feel tremendous and daunting. Doubts and new fears can creep in and fill you with worries. We will offer you tools to understand how your thoughts can affect your anxiety—and what you can do to feel more in charge.

 

Author: Anxiety Canada

 

Anxiety can impact the lives of children, teens (and adults!), in the following 6 ways: affect, behaviour, cognition, dependence, excessive and extreme, and functioning.

Children and teens look to their parents, teachers and trusted adults for information about the world around them, enabling them to reach expected milestones and mature into adulthood. However, for some children and teens, knowledge is insufficient; they also want reassurance and comfort that feared outcomes will not occur. Furthermore, they're dissatisfied with simple reassurances, such as "You've studied enough. You'll do fine," and seem to need unending examples, promises, and guarantees. This is called reassurance seeking.

Anxious feelings are normal and expected in children and teens returning to school, changing schools, or for first-timers starting kindergarten. This transition can be stressful and disruptive for the entire family. In the days leading up to school, your anxious child may cling, cry, have temper tantrums, complain of headaches or stomach pains, withdraw, plead or bargain, and become irritable or angry.