Copyright 2002
In Worried No More: Help and Hope for Anxious Children, Dr. Wagner describes the normal anxiety of childhood and adolescence and the anxiety disorders that may need professional treatment. After reading this book, parents can more confidently determine if their child's anxiety is normal and age related or evidence of a deeper problem. Dr. Wagner helps the parent through the confusing process of seeking help from mental health professionals and school personnel. Worried No More also addresses school personnel, from a mental health perspective, giving them much needed advice about educating the anxious child.
One of the difficulties families have when a family member has a mental illness, or even just excessive anxiety, is guilt. What caused this problem? Who caused it? Is it my fault? Your fault? Dr. Wagner handles this problem compassionately. No one can say definitively what caused a particular person's anxiety disorder. Research is showing that some children have a genetic predisposition toward anxiety. They seem to inherit a general tendency to being sensitive and emotional, but also fearful and anxious. Sometimes one or more parent, or another close relative, has an anxiety disorder; sometimes more than one family member can have an anxiety disorder and not always the same disorder the child has. Research is also finding differences in brain function and chemistry in people with anxiety disorders. Life experiences, stress, medical conditions, and other factors can interact with the genetic predisposition and physical characteristics to set the stage for anxiety.
So, no one is to blame for anxiety disorders. We're all made a little different and need to learn different ways to handle the daily stress of life. Dr. Wagner points out that there is not much that can be done about genetics, temperament or major life events, but we can affect the factors that perpetuate anxiety. Rather than worry about the cause of anxiety, she encourages an understanding of the factors that maintain or fuel anxiety. Then she explains how parents and children can change those factors using cognitive-behavioral therapy principles.
For parents, chapter 11 is the core of the book. Dr. Wagner provides specific parenting behaviors that can help children control their anxiety. These are practical strategies that would help any parent bring up confident and capable children. I was most impressed with "The 3 S's: Security, Structure and Stability." Unconditional love, nurturing, and respect build security and help children trust their parents. This lays a foundation for parental authority and structure. Structure is a systematic framework of rules, expectations and routines. This in turn provides dependability and predictability that enhances a child's sense of stability and security. Feeling safe makes it easier to take chances.
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