![]() ![]() Remember, this reaction happens automatically and instantly. The fight response is the brain’s adaptive way of giving a young body the physical resources it needs to deal with a situation that feels potentially harmful. This could happen in response to unfamiliar situations or people, playground scuffles, criticism, disappointment, threat of embarrassment or failure – anything that could potentially trigger the feeling that something bad may be about to happen. An anxious brain is a very protective brain, and it will be quicker to hit the alarm, even when there is no need. It does this by making enough noise to get a response. A smoke alarm can’t tell the difference between a real fire and burnt toast, and it doesn’t care. When the brain thinks there’s trouble, it acts as though it’s true. It doesn’t matter that there’s nothing at all there to worry about. The physiological driver is the same – a brain under threat – but instead of flight, it initiates fight. Is there a pattern? Do they seem to happen more in unfamiliar situations or situations that might overspend your child’s emotional resources? Why do some kids show anxiety as anger?Īnxiety is often associated with avoidance or clinginess but it doesn’t necessarily present itself in this way. Take note of when the meltdowns or tantrums happen. Any of these might be a clue that anxiety is hard at work. Look for any type of avoidant behaviour, sick tummies, headaches, sensitivity to new or unfamiliar situations. If anxiety is having a hand in the angry behaviour, the signs of anxiety will still be there in some way. (For a detailed child-friendly explanation of what causes each of the physical symptoms of anxiety, see here.) When there is no need to fight or flee, there is nothing to burn up the neurochemicals and they build up, causing the physical symptoms of anxiety. If the threat was real, they’d be fighting for their lives or running for it. The natural end to the fight or flight response is intense physical activity. Every physical symptom that comes with anxiety – racy heart, sick tummy, clammy skin, vomiting, shaky arms or legs – is because of the surging of these neurochemicals. The fight or flight response happens automatically and instantaneously, sending neurochemicals surging through their bodies, priming them for fight or flight. One of the awful things about anxiety is the way it launches without warning, and often without need, sending an unsuspecting body unnecessarily into fight or flight.įor kids with anxiety, any situation that is new, unfamiliar, difficult or stressful counts as a potential threat. When this happens often, it can create ‘anxiety about the anxiety’. It is more likely to sense threat and hit the panic button ‘just in case’. It’s what strong, healthy brains are meant to do.Īn anxious brain is a strong, healthy brain that is a little overprotective. This is the fight or flight response and it has been keeping us alive for thousands of years. When it senses threat, real or imagined, it surges the body with hormones (including cortisol, the stress hormone) and adrenaline to make the body strong, fast and powerful. Anxiety or Aggression?Īnxiety happens when a part of the brain, the amygdala, senses trouble. All kids have it in them to do this, but anxiety can have a sly way of stealing the attention from their strengths. Parents, grandparents, teachers – anyone who is able to understand and respond to their behaviour as something driven by anxiety, rather than ‘naughty’ behaviour, will be helping them to find healthier, stronger, more effective ways to respond to the world. Here’s where the adults in their lives will make a critical difference. Once kids have a more solid understanding of why they do what they do, they will be well on their way to finding a better response. Their angry behaviour makes sense, and it’s important to let them know this, but there will always be better choices they are capable of making. Of course, that doesn’t mean that they should be getting a free pass on their unruly behaviour. We would want to scoop them up and take them away from the chaos of it all. If we could see what was happening in their heads when anxiety takes hold like this, their behaviour would make sense. They are often great kids who don’t want to do the wrong thing, but they are being driven by a brain in high alert. When children are under the influence of an anxious brain, their behaviour has nothing to do with wanting to push against the limits. ![]() As if anxiety wasn’t hard enough to deal with! In children, it can sway away from the more typical avoidant, clingy behaviour and show itself as tantrums, meltdowns and aggression. ![]()
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