Helping Your Child When Experiencing High Anxiety or a Panic Attack
By: Student.Health
Acknowledge the feelings. Validate the emotions your child is feeling instead of trying to dismiss or deny them. It’s important that your child feels supported and understood during this time, so it’s essential that you show empathy and compassion towards them. Let them know that it’s okay to feel scared, overwhelmed, frustrated, or even angry about their experience.
Focus on breathing techniques and calming activities. Encouraging your child to practice deep breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques can help ease their anxiety levels significantly. You can also suggest calming activities such as reading a book, listening to music, going for a walk in nature, doing some yoga poses etc., which will help them relax and refocus their energy in a positive way.
Talk through solutions together with your child. Once the initial wave of anxiety has passed, talk through possible solutions with your child so they become more aware of what measures they can take if they experience similar symptoms again in the future. This could include things like writing down any worries they have so they don’t feel overwhelmed by them later on; talking to friends or other family members; or seeking professional help from mental health professionals if needed.
Practice self-care habits with your child. In order for your child to be able to manage their anxiety more effectively in the long term, it’s important that you model healthy coping strategies yourself and encourage them to follow suit too - this includes things like getting enough sleep each night, eating nutritious meals regularly throughout the day, exercising regularly etc., all of which play an integral role in helping reduce stress levels and keeping mental health issues at bay.
Seek professional help if necessary. If you feel like nothing is working and that your child isn’t able to cope with their anxiety alone anymore, then it may be time for you to seek professional help from mental health experts who can provide more specialized advice tailored specifically for you and your family.
Experiencing high levels of anxiety or panic attacks can be incredibly overwhelming for both parents and children alike - but there are steps you can take in order to best support your child during these times of distress. By acknowledging their feelings, focusing on breathing techniques and calming activities, talking through solutions together, practicing self-care habits, and seeking professional help if necessary, you will be able to equip them with the tools needed so they can learn how to manage their anxiety effectively over time.
