Saturday, December 15, 2012
Lo que nos pasa por dentro
En
'Lo que nos pasa por dentro' (Destino), Eduardo Punset analiza la
realidad humana a partir de las nueve grandes etapas de la existencia,
desde que nacemos hasta que morimos, pasando por el enamoramiento, el
trabajo y la enfermedad. Las dudas que atenazan al hombre a lo largo de
su vida se reducen al miedo a cambiar y a la resistencia a entender cómo
es el otro y cómo funcionamos por dentro. El libro pretende ser una
guía optimista reforzada por la rigurosidad de los conocimientos
científicos. En él se recogen decenas de consultas atendidas durante los
dos últimos años por los profesionales de Apoyo Psicológico Online de
la Fundación Eduardo Punset. 'Lo que nos pasa por dentro' está a la
venta desde este martes 18 de septiembre. Reproducimos un fragmento del
capítulo titulado "Cuando crecemos. La adolescencia y sus crisis".
La depresión, cada vez más común y poco tratada (BBC)
La depresión, la enfermedad mental más común, afecta a
unas 350 millones de personas en el mundo y a pesar de los tratamientos
efectivos muchos pacientes nunca son tratados ni diagnosticados.
Ése es el mensaje que muchos expertos en todo el mundo están lanzando en el Día Mundial de la Salud Mental.
Según la Organización Mundial de la
Salud (OMS), el 75% de las personas que sufren la enfermedad vive en los
países en desarrollo.
Pero debido al estigma y desconocimiento que todavía existen sobre la depresión, muchos no reconocen que están enfermos.
"Es una enfermedad cada vez más común en todo el
mundo, con una tendencia cada vez mayor de ser un alta prioridad de
salud pública, más que las enfermedades cardiovasculares o
neurológicas", le dice a BBC Mundo el doctor Roger Montenegro, miembro
del consejo de dirección de la Fundación Mundial para la Salud Mental
(WFMH, por sus siglas en inglés).
"La depresión es una problemática que ya vemos
todos los días, en hospitales, en nuestras propias familias", dice el
también presidente de la Fundación Contener en Argentina, una
organización de defensa de derechos de las personas que sufren
trastornos mentales.
Pero a pesar de ser tan común, dice el experto,
mucha gente todavía no puede reconocer la enfermedad cuando la sufre y
por lo tanto no busca ayuda para aliviarla.
Tristeza "sostenida"
La depresión, explica el experto, no son las fluctuaciones del estado de ánimo que todos podemos sentir en determinado momento.
La depresión genera un estado sostenido de
tristeza o falta de esperanza que puede durar dos semanas o más e
interfiere con la capacidad de funcionar en nuestra vida diaria.
"Hay que diferenciar la tristeza de la depresión. La tristeza es parte de la vida, pero hay un nivel de tristeza que a pasa a preocupaciones somáticas o inhibición en el comportamiento psicosocial" Dr. Roger Montenegro
"Hay que diferenciar la tristeza de la depresión", dice Montenegro.
"La tristeza es parte de la vida, pero hay un
nivel de tristeza que a pasa a preocupaciones somáticas o inhibición en
el comportamiento psicosocial. La depresión produce una desconcentración
y desinterés por la vida, trastornos de sueño, disminución de la
libido".
Estos son los síntomas de las formas leves y
moderadas de la depresión, pero en sus formas más severas puede poner en
riesgo la vida del que la sufre.
"En sus formas más profundas la enfermedad va
acompañada de otros síntomas y allí comienza a instalarse la idea de que
la vida no tiene sentido y que la muerte puede ser un alivio", explica
el psiquiatra.
En los casos más graves la depresión puede
llevar al suicidio: un millón de personas se suicidan cada año en el
mundo, según la OMS. En América Latina y el Caribe la cifra es de
63.000.
"Sabemos -dice Montenegro- que 75% de las
personas que se suicidan han comunicado, un mes antes de suicidarse, a
un familiar o conocido que tienen deseos de morir o matarse, 60% ha
comunicado ese deseo en los dos meses previos al acto y 50% en los tres
meses antes de cometerlo".
"Y esto ocurre porque estas personas no fueron tratadas adecuadamente", agrega.
"Es necesario hacer mucho más"
Seis de cada diez personas con la enfermedad en América Latina no reciben tratamiento.
La enfermedad es un trastorno complejo en el que intervienen factores sociales, psicológicos y biológicos.
Puede ser causa o consecuencia de otra
enfermedad, como cardiovascular o una experiencia postparto, o puede ser
resultado de presiones económicas y sociales, desempleo, desastres
naturales y guerras.
En América Latina, se calcula que la depresión
afecta a 5% de la población adulta, y seis de cada diez personas con la
enfermedad en la región no reciben tratamiento.
Pero las brechas entre un país y otro en diagnóstico y tratamiento de la enfermedad son enormes.
Por ejemplo, un estudio llevado a cabo por la
WFMH sobre depresión entre los adultos mayores en varios países de
América Latina encontró que en Perú, México y Venezuela, la mayoría de
los participantes con síntomas de la enfermedad nunca habían recibido
tratamiento para ella.
A pesar de la enorme carga de salud pública, el presupuesto que dedican muchos países a la salud mental es mínimo.
Según la Organización Panamericana de la Salud
(OPS) en América Latina y el Caribe, el porcentaje del presupuesto
sanitario destinado a salud mental es inferior al 2%.
La enfermedad, dice el doctor Montenegro, está relegada en la región.
"Los gobiernos han producido declaraciones para
crear leyes de salud mental con presupuestos muy bajos, o con promesas
imposibles de cumplir o presupuestos que luego son recortados", explica
el miembro del consejo de dirección de la Fundación Mundial para la
Salud Mental.
"Sabemos que 75% de las personas que se suicidan han comunicado, un mes antes de suicidarse, a un familiar o conocido que tienen deseos de morir o matarse " Dr. Roger Montenegro
"En el grueso de América Latina es necesario
hacer mucho más porque no basta con tener solo buenas intenciones. Es
necesario educar y luchar para los temas de salud mental entren en la
agenda y en la cabeza de los políticos, y educar a los médicos de
atención primaria, que son el primer contacto del paciente, para que
puedan reconocer los síntomas y detectar la enfermedad".
Y agrega: "Es necesario trabajar mucho más en un
esfuerzo de tres partes, que incluya a profesionales, pacientes y sus
familias".
Vitamina B3 y Sus Beneficios
La vitamina B3, niacina, ácido nicotínico o vitamina PP; fue la tercera que se identificó a mediados de los años 30. Hay dos sustancias que tienen las propiedades de la vitamina B3: El Ácido nicotínico y la Nicotinamina.
Ambas se convierten en coenzimas o en nicotinamido-adenin-dinucleótidos
(NDA), que es la coenzima que actúa contra la pelagra. Con frecuencia,
el ácido nicotínico, se le conoce también como niacina, y a la
nicotinamida como niacinamida. Es considerada uno de los componentes más
importantes para reducir los niveles de colesterol. Se sospecha que la
niacina funciona también, porque es el mejor antagonista que se conoce
del adrenocromo, que se produce en el músculo del corazón por la
oxidación de la adrenalina. Es por ello por lo que la adrenalina es
tóxica para los tejidos del corazón. Los descubrimientos más recientes
han demostrado que tiene amplias propiedades anticancerígenas. Además,
refuerza la eficacia de los tratamientos anticancerígenos. En otra serie
de estudios realizados con ratones la niacina aumentó el poder tóxico
de las radiaciones sobre los tumores, ya que favoreció el flujo de
sangre al tumor y potenció el efecto quimioterapia. En forma de
nicotinamida no produce sofocos ni acidez de estómago y es alcalina. Sin
embargo la ingestión de ciertas dosis puede producir náuseas y vómitos,
cuando se sobrepasa la dosis óptima. Es una sustancia muy importante en
el tratamiento de enfermedades mentales, gracias a sus efectos sobre
las interacciones químicas complejas que afectan al funcionamiento del
sistema nervioso. Ha sido definida también como la vitamina
antirreumática y el sofoco que desencadena le ácido nicotínico conforta a
los que padecen artritis. Nuestro organismo es capaz de sintetizarla a
partir del aminoácido triptófano, salvo cuando la persona tiene deficiencias de vitaminas B1, B2 y B6.
Funciones que desempeña:
La vitamina B3 desempeña una serie de funciones en el organismo, estas son algunas de ellas:
- Coadyuvante para disminuir los niveles de colesterol y triglicéridos.
- Alteraciones cardiacas.
- Coadyuvante en los tratamientos de cáncer.
- Previene y alivia las migrañas.
- Favorece la circulación ya que permite el perfecto fluido sanguíneo, ya que relaja los vasos sanguíneos otorgándoles elasticidad a los mismos.
- Ayuda a reducir la presión arterial.
- Indispensable por su papel en la producción de energía. Interviene junto a otras vitaminas del complejo B en la obtención de energía a partir de los hidratos de carbono.
- Mantiene en buen estado los tejidos y mucosas del aparato digestivo.
- Es indispensable para la síntesis de las hormonas sexuales.
- Está implicada en la elaboración de la cortisona, insulina y tirosina.
- Coadyuvante en los tratamientos de insomnio ya que está implicada en la síntesis de algunos neurotransmisores del sueño.
- Ayuda a reducir los síntomas del vértigo en la Enfermedad de Menière.
- Coadyuvante en los tratamientos de artritis y reumatismo.
- Coadyuvante en el tratamiento de alteraciones psíquicas. Mantiene el buen estado del sistema nervioso junto a otras vitaminas del mismo complejo, las vitaminas B6 y B2
- Mantiene la piel sana, junto con otras vitaminas del complejo B
- Mejora el tono muscular.
- Estabiliza la glucosa en sangre.
Su déficit puede provocar:
La deficiencia de niacina afecta a todas las células del cuerpo.
Aparato digestivo: Trastornos digestivos. Diarreas. Náuseas. Vómitos.
Estomatología: Alteraciones en la mucosa bucal. Úlceras bucales. Trastornos en encías o lengua, etc.
Dermatología: Dermatitis, psoriasis, eccemas, erupciones cutáneas, pelagra (piel rugosa), etc.
Sistema Nervioso/Neurología: Ansiedad, demencia, depresión, desequilibrios psíquicos, insomnio, etc.
OTROS:
- Astenia.
- Debilidad muscular.
- Fatigas.
- Sofocos.
Causas que favorecen su deficiencia:
Estos son algunos de los factores que pueden ser causa de déficit:
- Agua.
- Técnicas de procesamiento de alimentos.
- Abuso de sulfamidas.
- Abuso de estrógenos.
- Abuso de medicamentos para conciliar el sueño.
- Drogas alucinógenas.
- Abuso de alcohol.
Requerimientos:
La ingesta recomendada para niños es
de 2-12 mg/día. Para mujeres adultas es de 14 mg/día. Para mujeres
embarazadas y lactantes es de 18 mg/día. Para hombres adultos es de 16
mg/día.
Precauciones y Datos a tener en cuenta:
Es importante tener en cuenta las siguientes situaciones:
- Debe tomarse con el estómago lleno, de lo contrario pueden aparecer nauseas y espasmos.
- Puede producir daño hepático a partir de 3 gramos diarios.
- No debe suministrarse a animales, sobre manera a los perros.
- No debe consumirse en los casos en que se esté tomando medicación para la hipertensión. Puede provocar una caída súbita de la misma.
- No debe suministrarse a personas que padezcan úlcera gastroduodenal.
- No debe suministrarse a personas que padezcan glaucoma.
- La ingesta continuada de una vitamina del grupo B, como es el caso de la B3 o niacina, puede provocar la deficiencia de otra vitamina del mismo grupo.
Toxicidad:
Los
suplementos de niacina siempre deben administrarse bajo prescripción y
control médico, ya que su exceso puede provocar severos daños
estomacales y hepáticos, como así también enrojecimientos en la piel
(ocasionados por la acción de componentes hormonales llamados
prostaglandinas que producen dilatación de los vasos sanguíneos). Los
signos de intoxicación son:
- Aumento de los niveles de glucemia.
- Arritmias cardíacas.
- Defectos de nacimiento.
- Picores generales.
- Desarrollo de úlceras.
- Enrojecimiento facial.
- Piel seca.
- Piel con erupciones.
- Dispepsia o malas digestiones.
- Fallo hepático fulminante.
NOTA: La hipertensión arterial, la gota y la diabetes pueden agravarse como consecuencia del uso de suplementos de niacina.
Nutrientes sinérgicos:
Las siguientes vitaminas combinan y potencian el efecto de la vitamina B3:
- Vitaminas del grupo B.
- Vitamina C.
Alimentos ricos en vitamina B3:
Estos son algunos de los alimentos más ricos en la Niacina:
Orígen animal: Carnes magras. Hígado. Corazón. Riñón. Carnes blancas. Pollo. Atún. Salmón. Huevos. Leche.
Orígen vegetal: Germen
de trigo. Levadura de cerveza. Higos. Aguacate. vegetales de hoja.
Brócoli. Tomates. Zanahoria. Patata. Espárragos. Setas. Plátano.
Otros: Arroz. Pan
integral. Dátiles. Melocotones. Almendras. Mantequilla de cacahuete.
Café torrefacto. Ciruelas pasas. Nueces. Grano. Productos integrales.
Legumbre.
Enfermedades en las cuales su uso puede hacerse aconsejable:
Las situaciones donde la suplementación con niacina resulta necesaria son:
Aparato digestivo: Dispepsia (malas digestiones). Trastornos del aparato digestivo.
Estomatología: Aftas.
Sistema circulatorio/Vascular: Trastornos
circulatorios en las extremidades, manos y piernas, la niacina relaja
los vasos sanguíneos, por lo tanto resulta útil para que la sangre fluya
óptimamente.
Trastornos del metabolismo Exceso de colesterol y/o triglicéridos.
Traumatología/Reumatología: Artritis. Reuma. Debilidad muscular. Espondiloartritis anquilosante. Sinovitis tóxica.
OTROS:
- Alteraciones en las hormonas sexuales.
- Cáncer.
- Cansancio.
- Hemodiálisis y diálisis peritoneal
- Migrañas.
- Síndrome de mala absorción.
- Sofocos.
- Sonidos acúferos: zumbidos en los oídos.
- Trastornos cardiacos.
- Vértigo.
- Vómitos.
Referencias y Bibliografía:
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (kidshealth.org)
All kids have worries and doubts. But kids with obsessive-compulsive
disorder (OCD) often can't stop worrying, no matter how much they want
to. And those worries frequently compel them to behave in certain ways
over and over again.
About OCD
OCD is a type of anxiety disorder. Kids with OCD become preoccupied
with whether something could be harmful, dangerous, wrong, or dirty — or
with thoughts that bad stuff could happen.
With OCD, upsetting or scary thoughts or images, called obsessions,
pop into a person's mind and are hard to shake. Kids with OCD also might
worry about things not being "in order" or "just right." They may worry
about losing things, sometimes feeling the need to collect these items,
even though they may seem useless to other people.
Someone with OCD feels strong urges to do certain things repeatedly —
called rituals or compulsions — in order to banish the scary thoughts,
ward off something dreaded, or make extra sure that things are safe,
clean, or right in some way.
Children may have a difficult time explaining a reason for their
rituals and say they do them "just because." But in general, by doing a
ritual, someone with OCD is trying to relieve anxiety. They may want to
feel absolutely certain that something bad won't happen or to feel "just
right."
Think of OCD as an "overactive alarm system." The rise in anxiety or worry is so strong that a child feels like he or she must perform the task or dwell on the thought, over and over again, to the point where it interferes with everyday life.
Most kids with OCD realize that they really don't have to repeat the
behaviors over and over again, but the anxiety can be so great that they
feel that repetition is "required" to neutralize the uncomfortable
feeling. And often the behavior does decrease the anxiety — but only
temporarily. In the long run, the rituals may worsen OCD severity and
prompt the obsessions to return.
Causes
Doctors and scientists don't know exactly what causes OCD, although
recent research has led to a better understanding of it and its
potential causes. Experts believe OCD is related to levels of a
neurotransmitter called serotonin. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that
carry signals in the brain.
When the flow of serotonin is blocked, the brain's "alarm system"
overreacts and misinterprets information. These "false alarms"
mistakenly trigger danger messages. Instead of the brain filtering out
these messages, the mind dwells on them — and the person experiences
unrealistic fear and doubt.
Evidence is strong that OCD tends to run in families. Many people
with OCD have one or more family members who also have it or other
anxiety disorders influenced by the brain's serotonin levels. Because of
this, scientists have come to believe that the tendency (or
predisposition) for someone to develop a serotonin imbalance that causes
OCD can be inherited.
Having the genetic tendency for OCD doesn't mean that someone will
develop OCD, but it does mean there's a stronger chance that he or she
might. Sometimes an illness or some other stress-causing event may
trigger the symptoms of OCD in a person who is genetically prone to
develop it.
It's important to understand that the obsessive-compulsive behavior
is not something that a child can stop by trying harder. OCD is a
disorder, just like any physical disorder such as diabetes or asthma,
and is not something kids can control or have caused themselves.
OCD is also not something that parents have caused, although life
events (such as starting school or the death of a loved one) might
worsen or trigger the onset of OCD in kids who are prone to develop it.
Common OCD Behaviors in Kids
OCD can make daily life difficult for the kids that it affects and
their families. The behaviors often take up a great deal of time and
energy, making it more difficult to complete tasks, such as homework or
chores, or to enjoy life.
In addition to feeling frustrated or guilty for not being able to
control their own thoughts or actions, kids with OCD also may suffer
from low self-esteem or from shame or embarrassment about what they're
thinking or feeling (since they often realize that their fears are
unrealistic, or that their rituals are not realistically going to
prevent their feared events).
They also may feel pressured because they don't have enough time to
do everything. A child might become irritable because he or she feels
compelled to stay awake late into the night or miss an activity or
outing to complete the compulsive rituals. Kids might have difficulties
with attention or concentration because of the intrusive thoughts.
Among kids and teens with OCD, the most common obsessions include:
- fear of dirt or germs
- fear of contamination
- a need for symmetry, order, and precision
- religious obsessions
- preoccupation with body wastes
- lucky and unlucky numbers
- sexual or aggressive thoughts
- fear of illness or harm coming to oneself or relatives
- preoccupation with household items
- intrusive sounds or words
These compulsions are the most common among kids and teens:
- grooming rituals, including hand washing, showering, and teeth brushing
- repeating rituals, including going in and out of doorways, needing to move through spaces in a special way, or rereading, erasing, and rewriting
- checking rituals to make sure that an appliance is off or a door is locked, and repeatedly checking homework
- rituals to undo contact with a "contaminated" person or object
- touching rituals
- rituals to prevent harming self or others
- ordering or arranging objects
- counting rituals
- hoarding and collecting things of no apparent value
- cleaning rituals related to the house or other items
Signs and Symptoms of OCD
Recognizing OCD is often difficult because kids can become adept at
hiding the behaviors. It's not uncommon for a child to engage in
ritualistic behavior for months, or even years, before parents know
about it. Also, a child may not engage in the ritual at school, so
parents might think it's just a phase.
When a child with OCD tries to contain these thoughts or behaviors,
this creates anxiety. Kids who feel embarrassed or as if they're "going
crazy" may try to blend the OCD into the normal daily routine until they
can't control it anymore.
It's common for kids to ask a parent to join in the ritualistic
behavior: First the child has to do something and then the parent has to
do something else. If a child says, "I didn't touch something with
germs, did I?" the parent might have to respond, "No, you're OK," and
the ritual will begin again for a certain number of times. Initially,
the parent might not notice what is happening.
Tantrums, overt signs of worry, and difficult behaviors are common
when parents fail to participate in their child's rituals. It is often
this behavior, as much as the OCD itself, which brings families into
treatment.
Parents can look for the following possible signs of OCD:
- raw, chapped hands from constant washing
- unusually high rate of soap or paper towel usage
- high, unexplained utility bills
- a sudden drop in test grades
- unproductive hours spent doing homework
- holes erased through test papers and homework
- requests for family members to repeat strange phrases or keep answering the same question
- a persistent fear of illness
- a dramatic increase in laundry
- an exceptionally long amount of time spent getting ready for bed
- a continual fear that something terrible will happen to someone
- constant checks of the health of family members
- reluctance to leave the house at the same time as other family members
Diagnosing OCD
OCD is more common than many other childhood disorders or illnesses,
but it often remains undiagnosed. Kids might keep the symptoms hidden
from their families, friends, and teachers because they're embarrassed.
Even when symptoms are present, a parent or health care provider
might not recognize that they are part of a mental health disorder and
may attribute them to a child's quirkiness or even bad behavior.
Doctors consider OCD to be a pattern of obsessive thinking and rituals that does one or more of the following:
- takes up more than an hour each day
- causes distress
- interferes with daily activities
OCD in kids is usually diagnosed between the ages of 7 and 12. Since
these are the years when kids naturally feel concerned about fitting in
with their friends, the discomfort and stress brought on by OCD can make
them feel scared, out of control, and alone.
If your child shows signs of OCD, talk to your doctor. In screening
for OCD, the doctor or a mental health professional will ask your child
about obsessions and compulsions in language that kids will understand,
such as:
- Do you have worries, thoughts, images, feelings, or ideas that bother you?
- Do you have to check things over and over again?
- Do you have to wash your hands a lot, more than most kids?
- Do you count to a certain number or do things a certain number of times?
- Do you collect things that others might throw away (like hair or fingernail clippings)?
- Do things have to be "just so"?
- Are there things you have to do before you go to bed?
Because it might be normal for a child who doesn't have OCD to answer
yes to any of these questions, the doctor also will ask about how often
and how severe the behaviors are, about your family's history of OCD, Tourette syndrome
and other motor or vocal tic disorders, or other problems that
sometimes occur with OCD. OCD is common in people with Tourette
syndrome.
Other disorders that often occur with OCD include other anxiety disorders, depression, disruptive behavior disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),
learning disorders, and trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling).
PANS, a rare condition that stands for Pediatric Acute-onset
Neuropsychiatric Syndrome, also has been associated with having OCD.
Treating OCD
The most successful treatments for kids with OCD are behavioral
therapy and medication. Behavioral therapy, also known as
cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy (CBT), helps kids learn to change
thoughts and feelings by first changing behavior.
Behavioral therapy involves gradually exposing kids to their fears,
with the agreement that they will not perform rituals, to help them
recognize that their anxiety will eventually decrease and that no
disastrous outcome will occur. For example, kids who are afraid of dirt
might be exposed to something dirty, starting with something mildly
bothersome and ending with something that might be really dirty.
For exposure to be successful, it must be combined with response
prevention, in which the child's rituals or avoidance behaviors are
blocked. For example, a child who fears dirt must not only stay in
contact with the dirty object, but also must not be allowed to wash
repeatedly.
Some treatment plans involve having the child "bossing back" the OCD,
giving it a nasty nickname, and visualizing it as something he or she
can control. Over time, the anxiety provoked by dirt and the urge to
perform washing rituals gradually disappear. The child also gains
confidence that he or she can "fight" OCD.
OCD can sometimes worsen if it's not treated in a consistent,
logical, and supportive manner. So it's important to find a therapist
who has training and experience in treating OCD.
Just talking about the rituals and fears have not been shown to help
OCD, and may actually make it worse by reinforcing the fears and
prompting extra rituals. Family support and cooperation also go a long
way toward helping a child cope with OCD.
Many kids can do well with behavioral therapy alone while others will
need a combination of behavioral therapy and medication. Therapy can
help your child and family learn strategies to manage the ebb and flow
of OCD symptoms, while medication, such as selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs), often can reduce the impulse to perform rituals.
Helping Kids With OCD
It's important to understand that OCD is never a child's fault. Once a
child is in treatment, it's important for parents to participate, to
learn more about OCD, and to modify expectations and be supportive.
Kids with OCD get better at different rates, so try to avoid any
day-to-day comparisons and recognize and praise any small improvements.
Keep in mind that it's the OCD that is causing the problem, not the
child. The more that personal criticism can be avoided, the better.
It can be helpful to keep family routines as normal as possible, and
for all family members to learn strategies to help the child with OCD.
It's also important to not let OCD be the "boss" of the house and
regular family activities. Giving in to OCD worries does not make them
go away.
Reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD
Date reviewed: May 2012
Date reviewed: May 2012
Childhood Stress (kidshealth.org)
As providers and caretakers, adults tend to view the world of
children as happy and carefree. After all, kids don't have jobs to keep
or bills to pay, so what could they possibly have to worry about?
Plenty! Even very young children have worries and feel stress to some degree.
Sources of Stress
Stress is a function of the demands placed on us and our ability to
meet them. These demands often come from outside sources, such as
family, jobs, friends, or school. But it also can come from within,
often related to what we think we should be doing versus what we're actually able to do.
So stress can affect anyone who feels overwhelmed — even kids. In
preschoolers, separation from parents can cause anxiety. As kids get
older, academic and social pressures (especially from trying to fit in)
create stress.
Many kids are too busy to have time to play creatively or relax after
school. Kids who complain about all their activities or who refuse to
go to them might be overscheduled. Talk with your kids about how they
feel about extracurricular activities. If they complain, discuss the
pros and cons of stopping one activity. If stopping isn't an option,
explore ways to help manage your child's time and responsibilities to
lessen the anxiety.
Kids' stress may be intensified by more than just what's happening in
their own lives. Do your kids hear you talking about troubles at work,
worrying about a relative's illness, or arguing with your spouse about
financial matters? Parents should watch how they discuss such issues
when their kids are near because children will pick up on their parents'
anxieties and start to worry themselves.
World news can cause stress. Kids who see disturbing images on TV or
hear talk of natural disasters, war, and terrorism may worry about their
own safety and that of the people they love. Talk to your kids about
what they see and hear, and monitor what they watch on TV so that you
can help them understand what's going on.
Also, be aware of complicating factors, such as an illness, death of a
loved one, or a divorce. When these are added to the everyday pressures
kids face, the stress is magnified. Even the most amicable divorce can
be a difficult experience for kids because their basic security system —
their family — is undergoing a tough change. Separated or divorced
parents should never put kids in a position of having to choose sides or
expose them to negative comments about the other spouse.
Also realize that some things that aren't a big deal to adults can
cause significant stress for kids. Let your kids know that you
understand they're stressed and don't dismiss their feelings as
inappropriate.
Signs and Symptoms
While it's not always easy to recognize when kids are stressed out,
short-term behavioral changes — such as mood swings, acting out, changes
in sleep patterns, or bedwetting — can be indications. Some kids
experience physical effects, including stomachaches and headaches.
Others have trouble concentrating or completing schoolwork. Still others
become withdrawn or spend a lot of time alone.
Younger children may pick up new habits
like thumb sucking, hair twirling, or nose picking; older kids may
begin to lie, bully, or defy authority. A child who is stressed may also
have nightmares, difficulty leaving you, overreactions to minor
problems, and drastic changes in academic performance.
Reducing Stress
How can you help kids cope with stress? Proper rest and good
nutrition can boost coping skills, as can good parenting. Make time for
your kids each day. Whether they need to talk or just be in the same
room with you, make yourself available. Don't try to make them talk,
even if you know what they're worried about. Sometimes kids just feel
better when you spend time with them on fun activities.
Even as kids get older, quality time is important. It's really hard
for some people to come home after work, get down on the floor, and play
with their kids or just talk to them about their day — especially if
they've had a stressful day themselves. But expressing interest shows
that they're important to you.
Help your child cope with stress by talking about what may be causing
it. Together, you can come up with a few solutions like cutting back on
after-school activities, spending more time talking with parents or
teachers, developing an exercise regimen, or keeping a journal.
You can also help by anticipating potentially stressful situations
and preparing kids for them. For example, let your son or daughter know
ahead of time that a doctor's appointment is coming up and talk about
what will happen there. Tailor the information to your child's age —
younger kids won't need as much advance preparation or details as older
kids or teens.
Remember that some level of stress is normal; let your kids know that
it's OK to feel angry, scared, lonely, or anxious and that other people
share those feelings. Reassurance is important, so remind them that
you're confident that they can handle the situation.
Helping Your Child Cope
When kids can't or won't discuss their stressful issues, try talking
about your own. This shows that you're willing to tackle tough topics
and are available to talk with when they're ready. If a child shows
symptoms that concern you and is unwilling to talk, consult a counselor
or other mental health specialist.
Books can help young kids identify with characters in stressful situations and learn how they cope. Check out Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst; Tear Soup by Pat Schweibert, Chuck DeKlyen, and Taylor Bills; and Dinosaurs Divorce by Marc Brown and Laurene Krasny Brown.
Most parents have the skills to deal with their child's stress. The
time to seek professional attention is when any change in behavior
persists, when stress is causing serious anxiety, or when the behavior
is causing significant problems in functioning at school or at home.
If you need help finding resources for your child, consult your doctor or the counselors and teachers at school.
Reviewed by: Jennifer Shroff Pendley, PhD
Date reviewed: August 2011
Date reviewed: August 2011
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