admin April 29th, 2010
Here’s an article by Todd Snyder. Dr. Todd Snyder is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in helping people with social anxiety disorder and public speaking phobia as they reclaim their lives from the grips of anxiety. He is the owner of a private practice psychological counseling clinic in Northwest Indiana near Chicago, IL. www.anxiety-counselor.com
Who experiences social anxiety symptoms? Is it only people who have some deeply repressed unconscious psychological trauma? NO! Is it only people who are shy or people who have low self-esteem? NO! Is it due to some sort of failure to develop good social skills? NO! People who have social anxiety that reaches the point that it is interfering with their enjoyment of life are simply those among us who have a very powerful ability to practice what is called mind-sight, combined with a self-perpetuating process of avoidance and anxiety.
The mind-sight issue is at the root of all of the symptoms. Mind-sight is the process by which you mentally project yourself into the other person’s perspective and then look back at yourself through their eyes. This gives you a great social advantage (unless it takes over as in social anxiety disorder). You are able to self-monitor to present yourself in a positive light to others. People who are low on this ability are the are at a great disadvantage in relationships and business ( Think of someone you have known who seems clueless about how they talk on and on without checking to see if the listener is still interested. Or think of someone who doesn’t seem to realize that other people brush their hair and don’t start personal conversations in the grocery store line). Mind-sight allows you to predict what others are thinking about you. If the mind-sight ability is genetically wired into you to a very strong degree, all it takes is one or two situations that cause you anxiety about how others are perceiving you, and then the process of feeling anxious about a recurrence of those situations sets in. Once you begin to consciously or unconsciously anticipate a certain kind of situation with fear, you will become more aware of the first signs that the situation is approaching.
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admin April 28th, 2010
Here’s an article from Arlin Cuncic at About.com When Sydney was smaller I knew she was super sensitive to everything loud noises, warm air, voices. From my experience most people that show symptoms of social anxiety disorder are too very highly sensitive people. This article explains a little bit more.
Are you a highly sensitive person? Highly sensitive people generally like to spend time alone to reflect, are conscientious, take longer making decisions, and become bored by small talk. Children who are highly sensitive often require little discipline but may cry easily. It is believed that 20% of people are highly sensitive and that it is an inborn trait.
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admin April 24th, 2010
Sydney has used one or two of these books and I think this is a great resource. The article has most information that parents will already know if they’re children have social anxiety but none the less it was worth mentioning. Take a look at some great titles.
It is disheartening when a child experiences anxiousness, especially when it happens on a level that is debilitating in any way. Social anxiety can interfere with a child’s ability to make friends and it can have a profound effect on self-esteem. Young children have difficulty processing feelings of stress and worry.
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admin April 22nd, 2010
For anyone who suffers from social anxiety the utterly worst part is oral presentations. For some children like Sydney the signs are not only inside of her little body, “I don’t think I can do this”, “what if someone asks me a question I can’t answer”, “I don’t want to do this!” they are also very clearly visible. When she begins to speak in front of her teacher and present the information to her Sydney’s body shakes, she gets very tongue tied, she cries and she begins to hyperventalate. I know exactly how she feels.
With a lot of encouragement and support and understanding the teacher has decided to let Sydney present to her and eventually move up to presenting to the teacher and a peer. It would be a friend with whom Sydney trusts and has a relationship with. It’s all about stepping stones right. Well, we are working up those steps and yesterday she had a magnificent milestone.
Her presentation was to research a country and be able to answer questions about their culture, the food, the clothing, the most interesting places to visit. We chose Poland as that is where my family is from and there are lots of things that Sydney is more than familar with such as “pierogi”, “Kiebasa” and how to say “hello”. I was pretty sure that she would be confident in all the information which would help her feel more comfortable to present. Well, did you that not only did she present to her teacher and a peer but she as well answered some questions. On her sheet that she brought home she got a combination of 2, 3 and 4. More imporatantly, it shows that those people who are willing to understand the challenges that children with social anxiety face reap the rewards of seeing these children flourish. If you are willing to let the little things matter you will surely be cheering on the accomplishments.
We got a phone call from the teacher yesterday as she was so excited to share with us the wonderful news. We opened the subject to her by asking how she did on the presentation and Sydney took it from there. We were able to compliment her and tell her how very proud we are of her efforts. I asked her how she felt and she smiled and said, “Good. I felt good and I didn’t even cry.”
I am so proud of Sydney. I am also very appreciate for Sydney to have such glorious opportunities available to her. She is able to understand that she can do things one step at a time.
admin April 20th, 2010
The one thing I have learned over the last few years both with my own panic attacks and Sydney’s is just how much the stress of anxiety wears on the body. In Sydney as well, I can see how the fear and stress and anxiousness gets to her. She shows signs of fatigue and wear and despite my best efforts it is ultimately up to her to learn how to deal with all of it and be able to let the fears go. So as I was searching for things on the net I found this fantastic website the Centre for Clinical Interventions . It is all about coping and learning how to manage the anxiety. The Centre has put together different modules for you to do and I took a look at Module 3 Progressive muscle relaxation. What a wonderful resource!
Coping with Social Anxiety: This InfoPax is designed to provide you with some information about social anxiety and suggested strategies for how you can manage your anxiety in social situations. It is organised into modules that are designed to be worked through in sequence. Although it is not necessary that you complete one module before going on to the next, this is recommended. Each module includes information, worksheets, and suggested exercises or activities.
Check out all the modules
admin April 20th, 2010
Finally…people are understanding more and more just how important it is to understand the early warning signs of mental health. The subject is gaining momentum and no one is happier to see it than me. I found a fantastic article that talks about how not only the parents but the environment and the community are all a part of a childs “social-emotional wellness”.
Three key mental health disorders of young children are: anxiety disorders such as, separation anxiety and social anxiety; mood disorders like depression; and behavior disorders such as Sensory Processing Disorder.
Sometimes, it’s hard to believe that young children are actually experiencing disorders like depression, but it is a reality. Identifying and treating children with these disorders is more complex than, let’s say, a broken arm. But, hopefully, we are just as concerned about our children’s emotional wellness as we are about their physical wellness.
For more information visit Zero to Three
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admin April 20th, 2010
Here’s a great little article about fears and phobias. Take a look!
There are three categories of phobias:
* Agoraphobia – the literal translation is “fear of the marketplace.” Agoraphobics fear that they will have a panic attack when they are in open spaces or a situation where they can’t escape easily or without embarrassment.
* Social Phobia – irrational fear of embarrassment in certain social situations, such as public speaking. Symptoms include sweating, blushing, nausea, anxiety and rapid heartbeat. This phobia can limit a person’s ability to work or to form meaningful relationships.
* Specific phobias – this category includes more than 350 phobias that mostly center on situations, animals and the environment.
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admin April 20th, 2010
On Sunday, May 2 2010, the 9th annual Walk for Kids Help Phone will be raising vital funds for the charity and the hundreds of kids who call in or post every day
Have you ever heard of Kids Help Phone? I have and I know all the good work that they do but here’s a look at how they help in the area of mental health.
The Walk for Kids Help Phone is the counselling service’s most important fundraising event of the year. The 2010 goal is to raise $3M, a vital 25% of its operating budget, in order to remain there for the young people of Canada who are dealing with increasingly complex issues. The funds raised go directly to support the work of Kids Help Phone skilled, professional counsellors; respond immediately to kids’ needs, explore options and equip them with the skills to meet life’s challenges.
Like mental health.
In 2009, more young people contacted Kids Help Phone about mental health issues than about issues related to peers, family, or sexuality. In fact, from 2008 to 2009, Kids Help Phone recorded a 4% jump in the incidence of contacts from children and youth that were seeking information or support around issues related to mental and emotional health.
The 2010 Kids Help Phone study, Mental Health Literacy: Kids in Canada Talk About Mental Health shows that only half of the respondents would seek out help if they were dealing with intense feelings, or were worried about their mental health. Given how common mental health issues are in young people – research indicates that approximately one out of every five people struggle with mental health problems before the age of 18 – this finding is concerning. The importance of an anonymous and confidential service like Kids Help Phone is once more demonstrated by the young people of the survey who clearly identified the conditions needed to make reaching out a possibility.
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