Written by: TFVstaff • November 30, 2018• Ask the Expert

How to Nip Parental Anxiety in the Bud after Hurricane Michael

Hurricane Michael has taken its toll on many families in Florida, with health workers noting they were noting signs of mental anguish that would take years to recover from. The loss of a home can increase or trigger conditions like anxiety, leading parents to become over-protective owing to worry that disaster will strike their kids. If this is the case in your family, it is important to get help, since parental anxiety can have serious consequences on the mental health of our children. One study published by Beidel and Turner (1997) found that parental anxiety increases the risk for similar problems in children, possibly destroying their chance of enjoying a fulfilling, happy life.

What Effect does Parental Anxiety Have on Children?

Losing your home or cherished possessions in a hurricane can lead to anxiety in yourself and your kids, but research shows that the damage can go further. A study by Marcy Burstein et al children raised by a mom or dad with parental anxiety have a higher risk of having symptoms of depression as well. The scientists found that in general, there are more signs of dysfunction in children with an anxious parenting style. Excessive worry and stress from parents can be perceived early in children. Therefore, from the time parents start to raise their kids, it is important for them to take notice of their own stress and anxiety levels, and to take a proactive stance if they need to, so that both they and their children can be spared from the effects of anxiety when big disasters strike or problems arise. When a natural disaster does shake our foundation, it is important to be get help when we need it, to curb our own anxiety and prevent it from affecting our children.

What are Common Signs of Parental Anxiety?

If, following a hurricane or other disaster, you note that you are over-protective with children or that you avoid letting your child play out in the open, fearful they may get hurt or be unable to return home, you could have parental anxiety. Essentially, the line between usual worry and parental anxiety is crossed when parental control is such that a child is no longer free to explore his or her environment or socialize with others. Anxious parents may read a news story about bad weather or another hurricane approaching and immediately think the same thing may happen to their child. They may keep a child home from their favorite sports, despite no official alert requiring them to do so.

Taking a Step Back

If you think that an event like Hurricane Michael has triggered parental anxiety, there are so many ways to make an almost immediate improvement. For some, medical marijuana products like red congo strain can help a lot. For others, an option to consider cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) – considered a ‘gold standard’ treatment for anxiety. The aim of CBT is to reveal the inexorable link between the way we think, feel, and behave. Often, a therapist will encourage their client to change a couple of behaviors and to notice the powerful effect it can have on the way they think or feel about a situation. The therapist may help a parent ‘let go’ little by little and ask them how they feel when they give their child a little more freedom. Therapists also commonly advise using medication alongside these actions (like those from i49.net/california/los-angeles), as well as going about prescribing mindful activities such as yoga and mindfulness meditation to reduce parental anxiety. These activities have been found in numerous studies to lower levels of stress hormone, cortisol, and to lift the mood.

If you feel that Hurricane Michael has turned you into a bag of worries, help is at hand. Whether it be through cbd oil canada produces, or through therapies like CBT, meditation, and even deep breathing that can help bring your mind back to the present moment, cutting negative thought cycles and enabling you to see the positive side of life. If you are interested in checking out a few CBD products, you can visit a swifts superstore or your local dispensary. It may help put aside any worries you may have so that you can concentrate on your children. Giving your child more freedom will not only help you feel more relaxed, but also allow them to be the inquisitive ‘sponges’ that they are and enable them to learn as much from their environment and social circle as they do from you.

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