Why do you think so many people have anxiety these days?

[TitaniasAss]

Or do you think it's just become more recognised? When I was young I remember my mum describing a neighbour as 'living on her nerves' which I think probably meant that this woman suffered from anxiety.

I don't suffer myself, I do get anxious about the things most people get anxious about eg driving test, exams etc but I don't think that's unusual. I work in a secondary school and we have so many children with SEMH and anxiety issues that it makes me worry for their future.

I used to work in a primary setting a few years ago and I can remember an 8 year old telling me that they were having a panic attack because of their anxiety. It was awful to me that a child that young even knew what a panic attack was.

I absolutely do believe that, for teens, social media plays a huge part. Why so many adults?

So sad that people are losing compassion for children with mental health difficulties especially give the evidence of widespread abuse and exposure to life's traumas.

I think a lot of it is mass hysteria. Not all, but a big ol' chunk.

@AzurePanda

No not those who 'label themselves', those who have a recognised, by doctors, anxiety disorder.
You have no idea what my DD has been through in her life so far, it isn't surprising that the pandemic tipped her over the cliff edge into an anxiety disorder.
You have to be a lot more brave to do things that panic you than things that are just a bit uncomfortable.
The first year my DD was at college she rang me every lunchtime and I spent 30+ minutes calming her down enough to continue for the rest of the day. Knowing she would feel like this she still aimed to go in the next day and the next and the next. Yes that rook far more resilience than for most college students.
She continually blows me away with how determined she us to overcome this.

(It is a bit like she has worked far harder at her maths and english than I ever did, I got my As with far less effort than she has put in for much lower grades.)

You have no clue.

@TeenToTwenties and you have absolutely no clue what my 3 children have been through either, including the pandemic, family trauma and life threatening illness.

I resent the implication that those with either medically or self diagnosed anxiety (which is common) are somehow more brave and resilient than those without,

Talk about drip feed.
You were busy dismissing anxiety disorder, all I was doing was pointing out the bravery it takes to keep going.
Of course other situations require bravery and resilience too.
I was comparing with children in normal day to day average circumstances. Not those with life threatening illness. Of course that takes resilience too.
It isn't a competition, so how about you don't put down kids with anxiety disorder, and I will (continue to) not put down those with other ACEs who get through life.

@TeenToTwenties I wasn’t dismissing anything, as I said I simply resent the assertion that those children with anxiety are somehow more brave or resilient than those without.

Yes it isn’t a competition which is why I saw no need to share information about my children’s lives.

You used 'label themselves' that phrase seemed very dismissive.

'Just get on with ups and downs of life' did not read to me as major adverse experiences, sorry if you thought it was obvious you were referring to more than that.

Quite.

The PP has made some dismissive remarks about childhood mental ill health. Perhaps they have got caught up in the wrong headed assumption that, for example, those children who experience significant trauma but don't go on to develop, say, PTSD, are morally superior to those who do, by virtue of their greater resilience. It shouldn't need spelling out that these sort of difficulties do not develop because individuals lack moral fibre or a stiff upper lip. If one develops a significant and extended distress response (rather than bouncing back), life does become objectively more difficult, and children who are in this situation are facing additional challenges and deserve our respect and compassion.