anxiety disorder

How parents can help children with

anxiety disorder

People with anxiety disorders experience frequent and excessive anxiety, fear, terror and panic in everyday situations.

Your mental health first

01-

Watch for behaviour changes

02-

Spend regular, meaningful time together

03-

Seek professional help early

04-

Reduce conflict at home

05-

Promote healthy screen habits

06-

Address cyberbullying early

07-

Encourage social interaction & skill-building

08-

Source: Dr Anasuya & Dr Mohanraj

Types of

Bullying

PhysicalBullying

SocialBullying

Cyberbullying

SexualBullying

Psychological or verbal Bullying

Watch for behaviour changes, not just academic results

• Anxious children are often quiet, compliant and high-performing, making anxiety easy to miss.
• Withdrawal, social isolation or changes in routine can be early warning signs.

5. Sexual Bullying

When we are told a story, it touches us emotionally, it can even move us, making us remember the stories up to 20 times more than any other content we may consume.

Encourage social interaction and skill-building

• Anxiety is closely linked to delayed social development, especially post-Covid.
• Social isolation during the pandemic disrupted emotional and social development.
• Children may appear “fine” but still struggle with anxiety that requires active support.

• Group activities, therapy and social skills programmes can help children rebuild confidence and connection.

Don’t be afraid to seek professional help early

• Therapy works best when started early, before problems escalate.

• Affordable or free counselling is available through universities, government clinics, NGOs and religious organisations.

• Seeking therapy does not mean a child is “sick” - it equips them with coping and emotional regulation skills.

2. Social Bullying

Our brain is biologically prepared to process visual content. Almost 50% of our brain is involved in processing visual stimuli.

4. Psychological orverbal bullying

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Promote healthy screen habits at home

• Parents and communities should encourage screen-free routines such as device-free mealtimes and reduced screen use before bedtime.

• Limiting night-time screen exposure helps improve sleep quality and emotional regulation.
• Parents should also participate in parenting programmes and digital literacy initiatives to better understand online risks and platforms.
• Better-informed parents are more equipped to guide, protect and support their children online.

Reduce conflict at home and manage disagreements healthily

• Children sense tension even when arguments happen out of sight.
• Ongoing parental conflict increases anxiety in children.
• Parents should model healthy communication and anger management.

3. Cyberbullying

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1. Physical bullying

You can briefly describe what your presentation timeline consists of and orally present the milestones achieved so that nobody falls asleep.

Take care of your own mental health first

• Anxious parents often raise anxious children.

• Parents need to be emotionally regulated and mentally well to support their child.

• Build a support system with extended family, friends or “chosen family” and don’t try to parent alone.

Address cyberbullying early and openly

• Cyberbullying is a major driver of anxiety, especially among adolescents.

• Parents should talk openly about online behaviour, monitor digital spaces appropriately and encourage children to report bullying without fear.

Spend regular, meaningful time with your child

• Quality time requires "quantity" time - enough daily or weekly interaction to notice changes in behaviour.
• Holidays and movie outings alone do not replace everyday connection at home.
• Choose activities that encourage interaction: parks, sports, hiking, window shopping or simple shared routines.
• Regular shared activities help children feel safe, connected and emotionally supported.

Common symptoms of anxiety disorders include:

• Experiencing a sense of impending panic, danger or doom
• Feeling helpless or nervous
• Hyperventilating
• An increased heart rate
• Obsessively thinking about the trigger of your panic
• Sweating
• Trembling