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Anxious thoughts are a common problem for parents and children alike - arising from school, work, relationships and uncertainty about the future.

When these thoughts become frequent, they can lead to unhelpful coping mechanisms - like avoiding worrying situations, having tantrums and changing eating habits. If these thoughts take over they can even lead to depression.

So, how do help your child understand and tackle anxiety? Clinical psychologist Dr Anna Colton has a method for you to try…

Dr Anna's technique

• In the 'rainbow of avoidance' you are the smallest part, at the bottom of the rainbow, surrounded by all of these beautiful colours that make your life rich and full. As anxiety takes hold, these colours begin to fall away…

• Perhaps you feel anxious in big groups or gatherings, so you take those out of your life. Work opportunities worry you, so you stop accepting them. Public transport begins to feel overwhelming, so you stop using it. Smaller social gatherings feel stressful. Phoning or texting friends worries you. Even something as simple as going to the shops or spending time with your family can become a victim to anxiety.

• Suddenly, everything that makes your life worthwhile is gone.

• This avoidance fuels anxiety and keeps it going in the long term. If you want to stop this, you need to bring some of these colours back into your life - step-by-step, you need to rebuild your rainbow.

Try this technique yourself, or, if your child is struggling with anxiety, you could talk them through it step-by-step.

For more ways to tackle anxiety, take a look at the Parents' Toolkit collection.

91�ȱ� Action Line has further information and support around mental health for young people and adults

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