With the return to school upon us, it’s quite possible that your child may have apprehension or difficulty controlling their emotions or thoughts about school. If you’re noticing somewhat unusual aggressive or hyperactive behavior and violent outbursts, it’s possible that your child may be dealing with a mental health issue.

Children with mental health issues need their parents’ help to function well and need constant support to help navigate their emotions and feelings. Here are some tips to help a child with a mental disorder from counselors for teenage anxiety near you.

Create a Supportive Environment

Create a secure, caring, and enriched environment to raise a well-rounded child. Children who grow up in a positive environment are more confident in themselves and their abilities. Follow these tips to create a positive environment at home.

• Never shout at your child or scold them. If your child gets cranky, whiny,or talks back to you, do not let your anger get the better of you
• Choose your words wisely. When talking to your child, use a calm, reassuring tone
• Be affectionate and show them you care. Make them feel special every day
• Spend time with your child by making family dinner a priority or going on walks with your child. Set aside some time every day to connect with them
• Treat your child with the respect they deserve. Listen to their concerns. To communicate effectively, speak less and listen more when your child comes to you with a problem

Keep a Diary of Your Child’s Behavior

Before you consult a counselor, keep a diary of your child’s behavior for at least a week or two. The diary should include important information about behavior patterns and other abnormal occurrences.

Whenever your child has an emotional outburst, meltdown, or throws a tantrum, note down what caused the behavior and how your child reacted after the behavior stopped. Note how often a particular behavior change occurs and what features of the behavioral change are you most concerned about. Be sure to also mark down how long the behavior lasts before it subsides.

Explain what you think your child feels when they exhibit the behavior and how they communicate. Your child’s counselor will use this information when creating a treatment plan for your child.

Seek Professional Advice and Support

As a parent, you need to realize that you cannot fix everything for your child, but can get them the help they need so that they can fix their own issues. Ask your doctor to suggest a counseling center for teenage anxiety near you. Alternatively, call a general practice and ask to speak to a mental health professional.

A child psychologist can help you create strategies to deal with your child’s behavior problems and identify their behavioral triggers. They will help you take steps to improve your child’s mental health.

At The OCD & Anxiety Center, we are committed to helping children become the best versions of themselves to lead healthy lives. Our counselors have years of experience treating childhood psychiatric disorders and use effective methods to connect with children on an emotional level. To learn more, call (630) 522-3124.

Dr. Maha Zayed is a psychologist and owner of The OCD & Anxiety Center.  The Center is located in two suburbs outside of Chicago.  She has devoted her career to specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy for anxiety, OCD, and anxiety-related disorders. She is comfortable working with children and adults and is able to provide treatment both in the office and outside of the office, wherever anxiety happens.

Click here for more information on Childhood Anxiety Treatment.