Most of us think
childhood to be a time associated with a fun, carefree way of life.
However, most children these days are being affected by problems like
anxiety and depression. Increased competition that has increased
performance anxiety and stress has been held responsible for this by the doctors.
To mark the ongoing mental health week, city branches of the Indian medical Association and Indian Psychiatric Society organized a conference to discuss the most prevalent mental health issues. Anxiety and depression among children was one of these topics.
"In the last two decades, there has been a tremendous
rise in psychological problems in children. This is mainly because
increased parental and personal expectations because of the competitive
environment. Now-a-days, a child is not satisfied by topping the class
through his hard work. He has to top the state or the country to be
really happy about his achievement as there is globalization of
competition too," said psychiatrist Dr Kausar Abbasi, adding "Teachers
and the education system have become very demanding."
Dr Nilesh Shah, professor and head of the psychiatry department of Sion Hospital,
Mumbai, believes that more than depression, anxiety has become a common
affliction among children. "In every class, one or two children can be
found who suffer from over-anxiety.
These children get worked up about
small things specially before important events like examinations or
outings, keep seeking reassurances, lose temper easily and can't sleep
well. Relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, aroma therapy can be used to help them relax when anxiety is triggered," he said.
Some of the other types of anxiety which are not very common include school phobia, separation anxiety disorder
when a child does not wish to separate from a parent for the smallest
amount of time, social anxiety disorder where social situations and
selective mutism where certain special circumstances or people trigger
anxiety in the child, he informed.
One of the reasons that the
children are suffering from such problems is the comparatively easy life
they have. "The frustration tolerance and tolerance limits of children
are very low these days as they are getting all they want from a very
early age. Anxiety in children can also manifest through behavioral
problems like bed wetting and parents should be on the watch out for
them," said psychiatrist Dr Rajiv Palsodkar.
source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Anxiety-and-depression-big-problems-among-children/articleshow/16716332.cms
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