Anyone have some good tips for working with my 9yr old son's anxiety?

Question

I have interviewed two doctors, and set up appointments with one doctor, but in the meantime I was wondering if anyone had any tips. My son was somewhat traumatized a year ago by some food poisoning we got, all the throwing up really got to him, and ever since he's worried about throwing up again, actually gets panic attacks etc. The past month or so it seems to have gotten worse, his anxiety in general, his negative attitude, he's so quick to see the 'bad' in almost every situation some days. At night/bed time is when he's really struggling the most because there is nothing to distract him. I talk with him about pushing aside the worries and placing good thoughts in his head, we discuss what animal might jump over the fence and to count them, or we discuss what fun things he did that day, and I tell him to focus on that. Sometimes it works, other times not. I also try getting him to take deep breaths. Anyone have any tips???? My heart is breaking for him...

Answer 1

For the anxiety attacks...breathing exercises really help. You can purchase audio tapes that he can listen to that have instructions set to music.  It helps to put it on at night because after you are relaxed it is easier to sleep. His thinking needs to be retrained and that is hard to do for an anxious person, especially for someone who is so young. He needs to understand that what happened is really out of the ordinary and that things like that aren't going to be happening to him often. He needs to see how his anxiety is holding him back from doing other good and fun things.  If you think it would help, you should try explaining to him how food poisoning works, how rare it is, find people who will tell him how often they have had it, and generally just educate him on the subject. Maybe his doctor telling him these things would ease his mind some. But telling an anxious person "don't worry about it" generally just backfires by making them angry and more worried that you're not telling them something important.

Answer 2

be supportive but you may want to start downplay this issue,keep him so busy that he doesn't have time to dwell on it.

martial arts training can be very helpful,if you can get him to stick with it,it involves both self discipline and self assurance.

good luck friend,

joe.

Answer 3

Reassure about his fears.  Help make daily life predictable right now.  Don't try to avoid his fears.  Find a gross-out book about vomit and have you and him read it together.  Find ways to explore his concerns, you can use science, history and math to explore concepts about bodily functions, etc.  Have a nighttime routine and have a journal book bedside for him to write down or draw out his concerns.  Tell him that his fears will stay stuck in the book overnight and not bother him.  As the other person suggested deep breathing and yoga may also help with the physical symptoms of anxiety.