7 Absolutes for Good Self-Care if You or a Family Member Has Anxiety

Many people have anxiety or a child or family member who is anxious. It might be that there is a history of worrying or stress. Maybe the person avoids doing things that are scary, like approaching dogs, making speeches, or driving. Maybe the person tends to be overly careful or repetitive about hand-washing or cleaning. If the anxiety is distressing to the person, or interferes with the way s/he wants to live her life, she may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are common, and recent research has found that 1 in 3 people are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.

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perfectionism

Perfectionism: A Cultural Epidemic in Teens

Perfectionism, or the tendency to want to do everything flawlessly, is often associated with increased stress and anxiety.  Perfectionism combines excessively high personal standards (“I have to do my best at everything”), as well as feelings of failure if the person falls short of those benchmarks.  Oftentimes, our need to be perfect stems from fear.  […]

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Socially Anxious Kid

Back to School for the Kid with Social Anxiety

Being a kid with social anxiety isn’t easy.  As adults, many of us still have difficulty sitting down at a table and introducing ourselves to a group of strangers. In fact, many of us can say that if given the choice, we would likely choose not to be in that situation. Remember that your child […]

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Parent Stress Increases Child Stress

Many children experience anxiety from time to time In fact, there is evidence to suggest that the number of children with anxiety disorders continues to increase over time, as well as the intensity of anxiety symptoms. Many things contribute to the stress children experience today.  Our culture demands more time and energy from both children […]

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ADHD and Anxiety

Can people have both ADHD and Anxiety?

Many people struggle with ADHD.  Studies estimate that as many as 5-10% of children and up to 5% of adults are diagnosed with this condition.  Likewise, anxiety is also a common condition, impacting upwards of 30% of people at some point in their life.  So, yes, it makes sense that people with ADHD would also […]

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sanity if you have a child with mental health needs

Allergies and Stress: There Is a Connection

Achoo… cough….snort…! The sounds of allergies are everywhere, it seems. Many of us cannot escape allergies this time of year. According to the American College of Allergy and Immunology, ragweed pollen usually reaches peak levels in mid-September, impacting up to 23 million Americans with allergy symptoms, roughly translating to 20-30 percent of people. But what […]

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What Parents Should Know About Anxiety in Children

If you are reading this, you or your child (or both of you) probably has some anxiety. You may be surprised to know that everyone has some stress, anxiety, or fear. It is part of the human condition. Our biology wires us to recognize and perceive danger. These are survival instincts, and actually quite miraculous. Anxiety allows us to stop, rather than walk out into traffic. It allows us an opportunity to question whether we should make decisions involving safety or taking risks. Anxiety can help us consider the feelings of others when we make decisions.

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