What is Anxiety

We often use the analogy of a fire alarm system when we are explaining anxiety. Fire alarm systems are intended to go off when there is a fire. Anxiety is a system in your body that goes off when a PERCEIVED or REAL threat is detected. It goes off so that your body can prepare to protect itself. Thus, anxiety is normal and it is required to keep you safe. However, some people have more sensitive alarm systems. You’ve all seen or heard of sensitive fire alarm systems that go off when water is boiling and they detect steam. Someone who struggles with anxiety has a similar system, that more is sensitive. This type of alarm system is very good at detecting real threats, but it often also detects threats that are not really dangerous (e.g., talking to friends, making mistakes, or speaking in public, etc.). In therapy, we can help you learn to manage your alarm system when you have to deal perceived threats that are not really dangerous. We don’t want to make you stop feeling anxiety altogether, because anxiety is important - it helps keep you safe. We just want to make your alarm less sensitive to certain perceived threats.

We offer both individual therapy for anxiety (for children, teens, and adults) and parenting groups that help target children and teens anxiety. If you are interested in our groups or individual therapy, please complete our contact form. 

Types of Anxiety:

• Separation Anxiety: involves excessive fear or distress when having to leave one's home or separate from an attachment figure.  
• Selective Mutism: children with selective mutism are able to speak at home but unable to speak in other situations (e.g., school).
• Specific Phobia (e.g., spiders, heights, needles, etc.): involves a very strong fear about a specific situation that is either avoided or experienced with high distress.
• Social Anxiety (Social Phobia): involves a persistent fear of exposure to possible scrutiny or judgement by others.  Young people with social anxiety may feel anxious in social situations, worry they will do something to embarrass/humiliate themselves in public, or fear exams or presentations.  
• Panic Disorder: involves sudden, unpredictable panic attacks that seem to come out of the blue.  These attacks are intense and involve heart attack-like symptoms (e.g., palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, butterfly feelings in belly, sweating) and feelings of impending death or doom. 
• Agoraphobia: involves an excessive fear and avoidance of situations where one may feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed.  Young people with agoraphobia may feel anxious about using public transportation, being in open or enclosed spaces, standing in line or being in a crowd.
• Generalized Anxiety: involves constant unwarranted worrying about a variety of everyday things. Children with generalized anxiety may feel they worry too much about everything.​

Common Red Flags of Anxiety

• Experiencing excessive distress out of proportion to the situation.  
• Seeking repetitive reassurance and discussing numerous "what if" concerns
• Experiencing headaches and/or stomachaches that do not have a medical basis
• Experiencing constant worrying about things in the future
• Difficulty sleeping - falling asleep, staying asleep, nightmares, or difficulty sleeping alone
• Perfectionism or a tendency to be excessively self-critical
• Feeling overly-responsible or overly-organized 
• Excessive avoidance of expected activities, possibly refusing to attend school, friend's homes, extracurricular activities, errands, or vacations
• Logical arguments do not help reduce the child's fears; you notice you are providing excessive consoling about distress related to ordinary situations or excessive coaxing to get your child to do normal activities​

Frequently Overlooked Red Flags of Anxiety:

• Angry outbursts
• Oppositional and refusal behaviours
• Attention seeking behaviours
• Hyperactivity and difficulty sitting still
• Attention and concentration problems
• Scholastic underachievement
• Difficulties with social or group activities 

External Resources for Anxiety:

• AnxietyCanada provides detailed information on anxiety and offers tools and videos that can help your child manage their anxiety.
• Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions provides a wealth on information on the SPACE program, an evidence-based program aimed at helping parents support children who struggle with anxiety.
• Foundary is a resource for youth struggling with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. 
• Kelty Mental Health is a local resource that can help you connect with other resources in your community. 
• Here to Help is a website that provides a vast amount of information on mental health issues impacting children and youth.
• Canadian Mental Health Association can provide you with information and links to community resources for all mental health issues.
• Anxiety and Depression Association of America provides information on anxiety and depression
• ​Teen Mental Health provides youth friendly information and resources for parents.  
• The Child Mind Institute provides extensive information and resources on mental health issues in childhood.  It offers a symptom checker that can give you information about whether your child is struggling with a mental health issue.  This site also provides a number of stories about families who struggle with anxiety and offer great resources for teachers. 
• Great resource for breathing exercises.
• Video to help children do deep breathing.

​Free Apps for Anxiety:

• MindShift: is an app created through the collaboration of Anxiety​Canada and BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services.  It was designed to help youth and young adults cope with their anxiety by providing information and coaching on how to manage and face anxiety. 
• Breathe, Think, Do helps kids learn how to breathe and when to use their breathing.  
• Smiling Minds is a great app with numerous mindfulness and relaxation activities for children and teens.

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