-
…
Different types of anxiety disorders
There are several different anxiety disorders, which all have different key features. Some signs and symptoms of anxiety disorders may overlap with other childhood problems. A health professional can assess your child.
Specific phobias
These are fears about particular objects or situations. Some common phobias include fear of the dark, dogs, heights, injections and needles.
Separation anxiety
This is the fear of being away from a main caregiver. Tamariki (children) will become very upset when they have to separate for any reason. They will try to keep their caregiver with them at all times. Often, the fear is that something terrible will happen to the parent or the child when they are apart.
Generalised anxiety
This is a general tendency to worry about all sorts of things and expect the worst to happen. Common areas they worry about include:
- schoolwork
- relationships
- health
- burglaries
- sport performance
Social anxiety
This is a fear or worry about social or performance situations. Tamariki with social anxiety are often described as shy. They often fear people will think badly of them.
Obsessive compulsive disorder
This is a cycle of anxious thoughts and repeated actions that’s hard to break. For example, your child might constantly worry about dirt or germs and wash their hands over and over. They do this even though they are not dirty.
Panic disorder
This is a fear or worry about having panic attacks in situations where most people would not be afraid. Panic attacks involve a sudden rush of fear and several physical feelings such as:
- finding it hard to breathe
- a racing heart
- feeling sick (nausea)
