Recognizing Childhood Anxiety

Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch, MA, LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist) will present a special lecture for parents on identifying and treating childhood anxiety and OCD disorders at an Oholei Torah PTA lecture on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 8pm at Oholei Torah.

According to Rabbi Schonbuch, “Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issue in the U.S. with 40 million individuals (ages 18-54) affected. Among children, the statistics show that 1 in 8 children suffer from a form of anxiety or OCD. Symptoms usually start in early childhood, although some of the disorders may develop throughout the teenage years. The diagnosis is often made in the school years and sometimes earlier. However, some children with anxiety may not be recognized or diagnosed as having one.”

The signs of childhood anxiety are numerous. According to Rabbi Schonbuch, the following clues are suggestive of anxiety, but are not exclusive markers of anxiety. They may also be clues to other problems for which a child may benefit from intervention.

Signs may include out-of-character behaviors, a decline in attention, concentration and organization: (Attention Deficit Disorder is the most common misdiagnosis for anxiety), agitation and easily-triggered distress, asking, “But what if?” more than the average child, a constant and insatiable need for reassurance, and a reluctance or refusal to go to school.

“It’s important to learn how to recognize the signs early on,” explains Rabbi Schonbuch. “When parents can spot the problem during the first few years of school and get the child the they need, many could avoid a cascading effect where anxiety turns into more serious school problems and eventually emotional and social problems as well.”

There are also several manifestations of anxiety that may appear in different children. Common disorders include: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), panic attacks, separation anxiety, social anxiety, phobias (fear of things and places), and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).”

According to Rabbi Schonbuch, the gold standard in relieving anxiety or OCD is CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. CBT is the most widely-used therapy for anxiety disorders. Research has shown it to be effective in the treatment of panic disorder, phobias, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, among many other conditions.

Cognitive behavioral therapy addresses negative patterns and distortions in the way we look at the world and ourselves. As the name suggests, this involves two main components:

• Cognitive therapy examines how negative thoughts, or cognitions, contribute to anxiety.
• Behavior therapy examines how you behave and react in situations that trigger anxiety.

The basic premise of cognitive behavioral therapy is that our thoughts—not external events—affect the way we feel. In other words, it’s not the situation you’re in that determines how you feel, but your perception of the situation. Anxieties are often based upon false thought or beliefs. For example, a child who develops school anxiety may believe they have to be perfect or never to make mistakes.

A CBT therapist will help the child form more realistic beliefs and thoughts about a situation which can help reduce anxiety. In treating OCD, negative and obsessive thoughts are challenged while helping to block repetitive and ritualistic behaviors such as excessive hand washing, checking the stove, or changing clothes many times until its “just right”.

Rabbi Schonbuch will also discuss his new program to help kids with anxiety or OCD called “Kids Without Fear.” Based upon another therapeutic program developed by Rabbi Schonbuch called “Live Without Fear,” “Kids Without Fear” is a fun and interactive program that teaches kids how to manage school stress and anxiety, learn about the nature of fear, and to develop coping mechanisms to help them function without anxiety.

To watch a new video on Anxiety and CBT and for more info about treating anxiety and the upcoming lecture at Oholei Torah, visit www.KidsWithoutFear.com.