At some point or another in our lives, we all experience anxiety, we feel scared, out of control and overwhelmed. This kind of emotional distress usually starts with a little niggle or a negative thought which fills us with fear and dread. Sometimes our worries are easy to describe and overcome but at other times they are like a snowball of worrying thoughts gathering momentum as it rolls down a hill taking over our minds. This can lead to anxiety or even a panic attack. To prevent this from happening we need to know how to self-regulate or empty our stress bucket before it overflows. Often our children, some more than others depending on the circumstances, struggle to manage this and they need the help of calm, supportive adults, and practical tools to help them.
Calm Zone for Kids created the Anxiety Zone to help and support children and their families with information, practical tools and advice to manage and overcome anxiety. Let us help your child find their calm, so their true colours can shine and turn your home into a stress-free zone so you can spend quality time together.
The first step to managing anxiety is to understand it, why it happens and how it affects us.
What is ANXIETY?
It is a worrying thought
or event that takes place that makes us feel scared and out of control. The stress hormone cortisol is released into our body which activates the alarm centre of the brain
to be on high alert and protect you from danger. It is important to note that the brain does not know the difference between a perceived threat and a real threat. The response is the same and when we are in a state of fear, we cannot think of anything, our attention and focus is only on survival.
So, our thoughts are the key to managing our anxiety and fears because our thoughts trigger emotions whether happy or sad and our emotions will influence our behaviour. The root of our fears is more complex but can be overcome by understanding how our brain works in order to break the cycle of fear and anxiety.
How can we manage our Anxiety and Fears?
-  Learning about how our own thoughts control our feelings and actions or behaviour
-  Understanding how our brain works so we can break the cycle of fear and anxiety
-  Understanding the difference between worries, stress, and anxiety
-  Learning all about our stress bucket and finding ways to empty it?