by Gioele Cedro and Sharon Puccio
Short Intervention Psychologists trained in Single Session Therapy
www.psicologitirreno.it
Accepting your fears will allow you to recognize fears without being afraid of them.
(Ave Giada)
What is anxiety?
The term “anxiety” derives from the Latin adjective anxius “worried” and corresponds to a state of agitation, strong apprehension, due to fear, uncertainty or waiting for something whose outcome is not known.
Anxiety resembles fear, but is distinguished from fear for several reasons.
Fear is useful because it activates the ancestral response of attack or flight in us while anxiety allows us to anticipate fear , to anticipate thus foreseeing everything that could go wrong. Anxiety can become problematic when it becomes excessive and uncontrolled fear ; concern for the future becomes a block in the present .
What are the most common anxieties among children and adolescents?
In the case of children , the most frequent experiences of anxiety are linked to school, social relationships with peers, separation from family or reference figures, experiences that see them as protagonists such as sports and artistic performances. The modes of presentation are behavioral such as agitation, nervousness, irritability but mostly physical and somatic . It is not uncommon to hear children and teenagers reporting stomach or head pain in the face of challenges or obstacles.
Teenagers, like children, they experience anxiety at school, in social interactions with peers, but unlike the little ones they can experience these feelings in conjunction with other social mechanisms and personal experiences, such as comparing with others, building their own identity, the first emotional and / or sexual experiences, school and / or work orientation and the search for one’s own decision-making autonomy.
What is the impact of the lockdown on kids?
The pandemic had the effect of a total blackout for young people. Apathy, sadness, lack of stimuli, tiredness, anger, fear of being cut out (FOMO from the English fear of missing out ), are some of the most common emotions in this period, especially after the second wave, and should not be underestimated or ignored. Observing what is happening leads us to highlight an increase in sleep disorders in children and adolescents: they sleep less and worse. Added to this is an increase in concentration difficulties up to anxiety and depression disorders , especially in adolescents. In Italy it is observed that up to 70% of children have presented these problems.
What can adults do to help young people?
Talking about it and being aware of the problem is essential. If an adult is able to realize for himself that he is going through a period characterized by strong states of anxiety, children and adolescents may not notice it or otherwise attribute the discomfort to other causes . One of the tasks of the parent is to try to notice physical signs and behavioral symptoms of anxiety in the child to help him overcome that state.
Therefore, prevention works and / or, if necessary, psychological support with the child over 12 years of age or with parents for children and younger children are essential.
What can adults do to help young people?
Whether you suspect a state of anxiety or that the anxious symptoms are already in an advanced state, in parallel or as an alternative to psychological support, one of the most effective remedies to counter pathological anxiety comes from the plant kingdom.
Exerens has formulated a herbal product called Ansirens ®, developed specifically for the needs of children and adolescents who have symptoms of anxiety with or without somatic manifestations . Its drop formulation allows greater handling and action of its components.
It includes the presence of three natural ingredients which, if taken regularly for a period of about 4 weeks, help children and adolescents to overcome periods of high stress and anxiety.
- Rhodiola Rosea is used as a tonic-adaptogen in case of physical and mental fatigue and to promote normal mood. Thanks to its adaptogenic properties it increases the body’s resistance to external stimuli and stress.
- Linden has sedative and anxiolytic properties and promotes relaxation in case of stress.
- Passiflora incarnata promotes mental well-being. Traditional use of Passionflower for the relief of symptoms of mental stress and to aid sleep.
The Single Session Therapy
Furthermore, Exerens in collaboration with psychologitirreno.it , offers families a single session therapy meeting.
Through the Single Session Therapy it is possible to treat anxiety with a success rate of around 80% of the cases treated. There are no contraindications: an interview can change the point of view and the feelings experienced when certain thoughts afflict us or we find ourselves in particular situations.
You just have to fill in the form below with your details and you will be contacted for further information and to make an appointment via video call or telephone.
References
- American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
- Fava, G., Rafanelli, C., & Savron, G. (1998). Anxiety. Italian Caledoiscopio, 121, 3-79.
- Nardone, G. (2010). Fear, panic, phobias. Ponte alle Grazie.
- Bonino, S., & Cattelino, E. (2008). Prevention in adolescence. Psychoeducational courses of intervention on risk and health, Erikson, Trento.
- https://www.psicologitirreno.it/
- https://www.terapiasedutasingola.it/
