In today’s millennial lifestyle and fast paced world,children often feel abandoned and neglected, stemming from feelings of dissatisfaction, fear and loneliness in them, which can adversely affect their individual development, growth and interpersonal relationships. The fear of being left behind and absolute solitude at a premature age, devoid of the warmth and shelter of parents can assume lethal forms as anxiety and depression.
Anxiety refers to a chronic fear, worry or deep stress that repeatedly manifests itself in the thoughts and expressions of an individual and interferes in the regular day to day activities of that individual, hampering normal physiological and psychological function. In the case of a child, this includes hindrances in his school activities,playground activities as well as academics.
Anxiety can be of various forms in a child. It can manifest itself as a sudden, deep-standing phobia including that of water, insects, spiders, dogs, cats or even closed spaces. It can also be expressed in the form of extreme craving or yearning for parents or loved ones and the fear of being left alone at home. This can also gradually develop over a period of time. This is also called separation anxiety in children. This can be also be manifested as bouts of physical illnesses and symptoms such as headache or migraine, abdominal pain, stomach upset, untimely fits of drowsiness, breathlessness, restlessness, nausea, dizziness, profuse sweating, shakiness and even panic attacks in severe cases.
Anxiety can also be manifested in the form of social anxiety where the child fears any form of social interaction and communication including an increasing aversion towards going to school and places of gathering with a lot of people. The child loses interest in friends and mates and starts living in a recluse. The child also starts fearing the future and its uncertainty and looks at all prospects with dread and suspicion. The child feels helpless and is unable to handle situations which were once easily tackled by him/her. The child discontinues all hobbies and pastimes and feels lethargic, lazy and exhausted, with negative thoughts persistently clouding his mind. This suspends physical, mental, vital as well as emotional growth.