anxiety & associated disorders

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Emotional stress and anxiety are two of the most paralysing experiences for an individual, let alone a child.   It breaks my heart that some children are born into the world in an anxious state from the get go.  Sometimes this can be due to a stressful in-utero experience (Mums' stress hormones were high due to internal or environmental stress), high intervention birth, or simply their genetics/neurology, some babies come into the world in a defensive state and simply have a lower capacity to respond to stress.  As parents of an anxious child we witness  our child's  peers growing ot of anxious or defensive behaviours as they develop, and can be confused /saddened that our child is struggling with every day stressors impacting their overall enjoyment of childhood. 

 

This is where Brain Integration comes in..

Usually when we process experiences in daily life, all of the brain is functioning normally and our nervous system can manage the intensity of emotions thrown at us. When an anxious child  experiences stress, parts of the brain are shut down whilst the survival areas take over.   The fight-or-flight system - the impulse to either protect yourself or run, is in overdrive.  In this state the body releases adrenaline into the bloodstream; telling the brain to make you breathe faster, the heart to beat faster, sending lots of needed oxygen to the arms and legs to run or fight the danger.

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When in fight-flight , a child has limited access to the developing frontal cortex which makes dealing with typical daily stressors and expectations very difficult leading to avoidant or defensive (sometimes aggressive)  behaviours.   In this state anything not critical to survival in that moment, such as digestion, immunity and the hormonal system can also be suppressed resulting in skin issues, stomach aches, sleep issues etc.  For some children,   the fight-flight system is never properly switched off and they are left in a constant state of hyper-arousal.

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As a Kinesiologist I observe via muscle testing the level of neurological stress and the priority areas to work with.  Using a combination of advanced kinesiology techniques such as NOT (Neural Organisation Technique), and Applied Physiology the nervous system is bought down to its normal range and stress is released at a deeper level. Working with the emotional areas of the brain and the brain-body connection  leads to profound shifts in a child's way of being and greatly improve their ability to function, manage stress and deal with all that comes with childhood and young adulthood. 

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MANAGING ANXIETY FOR PARENTS

 

Witnessing and supporting an anxious child  can be so stressful, triggering and  and often enough to blow our own neurological circuits (#Mummy Meltdown). Some things to try at home as a starting point to relax the fight-flight system when you feel this approaching are:

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CONNECT TO THE SENSES:

Find five things you can SEE, four things you can TOUCH, three things you can HEAR, two things you can SMELL, and one thing you can TASTE. This is called grounding and can help when you fell like you have lost all control of your surroundings.

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DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING:

Place your hands on your stomach just above your navel with your two middle fingers touching. Take a gentle deep breathe, and as you do allow your stomach to rise. As you breathe out allow your stomach to drop. Continue to breathe this way, allowing your breathing to become longer and slower with every breathe you let go. You can also imagine breathing a calming colour through your heart as you do this and allowing it to soak through all the muscles and bones of your body.

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ESSENTIAL OILS:

Essential Oils contain aromatic molecules that can pass the blood/brain barrier and have a direct effect on the parts of our brain that control stress and anxiety.  They can help calm your anxiety and even stop a panic attack dead in its tracks.