12 yr old son with anxiety attacks?

Question

my 12 yr old is starting to have really bad anxiety attacks and thinks they are heart attacks. Now he is affraid to eat for fear of choking. I have to sit down with him just for him to eat a couple bites, all the while he keeps making this sound with his throught like there is something stuck in it. He is constently thinking something is wrong with him and is always breathing deep breaths. I made him an appointment with a psycholigist but it isn't for another 3 weeks... Please someone help me, I have no Idea how to handle this....

Answer 1

He has a problem.

He needs help now.

Answer 2

When my brother was in school, a boy would tell him that if he ate his food, he would die. ( he done this so he could eat my brothers food) My dad took my brother to talk to a preacher.... Maybe that would help.

Answer 3

Poor boy.  Poor mom!

It's not uncommon for kids to go through these kinds of things, especially at the beginning of puberty.

The sound he's making is called globus hystericous - with literally means "fear of swallowing." It's very common when someone is having panic attacks.

The first thing you want to do is make sure that psychologist is a cognitive-behavioral therapist.  Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the most effective way to treat anxiety disorders.

In the meantime, get a jump start on this issue by having your son listen to relaxation Cd's AT LEAST twice per day.  There are many to choose from - just go to amazon and do a search.  

The other thing you need to do for him is to take this in stride.  I know it is very painful for you to watch, but the bigger deal you make of this, the more frightening it will be for him.  Just label it - "Honey, you're having a panic attack.  It will pass."

He will be OK.  You will too.

And you are a good mom for jumping on this now.

Well done.

Answer 4

Poor baby!  I feel awful for him!

Please take him to an appropriate doctor to help him with his anxiety safely.  

Consider some yoga or karate to help him with confidence.  

When I have palpitations, I try deep breathing or watching the time to know how long it is happening.  I take my pulse and knowing that my pulse is normal helps me realize that it is just a panic attack.  It will go away.

Can a family doc help with some meds to bridge the time to the psychologist?

Good luck.  My heart goes out to him.

Answer 5

If they are that bad take him to the dr to make sure they are anxiety attacks, I have them and was put on medicine for them, but when they started to come more often on top of the medicine I went to the heart doctor and the doctor told me it is 50 % Anxeity & 50% my heart that is actually doing it and found out I have a defect in my heart.

Answer 6

yeash, don't know what to tell you! i'm 12, too, i've NEVER gotton those before. i guess continue eating with him. it's probably a phase i'm guessing.

Answer 7

you may want to call the doctors office and see if they can squeeze you son in for an emergency visit. panic attacks suck, the worst thing is after you've had one, you are afraid of having another and the worrying about having another can cause youto have one. hope that made scence.  you should try some relaxation time with youir son, like yoga. go do something that releases some energy like jogging, basketball, or soccer.  exercise releases endorphines which make us feel better, the better we feel the happier we are, the happier we are the better.

Answer 8

My daughter used to be that way, she would actually faint with fright when she couldn't breath. Doctors were no help and she eventually grew out of it after about 10yrs of it. I found that when she couldn,t breath properly to give her a brown paper bag to breath in and out of as it collects carbon monoxide in it and after 5 or 10 mins of this she calmed down. Get him to hold it tight around his mouth and breath in and out of it as slowly and calmly as he can. Poor you and poor son is all i can say, it's h**l. Good luck.