Dealing With Anxiety

Dealing with Anxiety

Anxiety and Autism

Anxiety occurs when we feel tense or worried about something that will or might happen. We all experience anxiety at times throughout our lives, however if we experience high levels of anxiety very regularly, it can make life difficult and stressful.

The anxiety process occurs within the brain. Information enters through the sensory system and is then dealt with by brain structures called the thalamus and the amygdala. The thalamus helps to regulate our level of awareness of the environment, while the amygdala is responsible for perceiving whether something may be threatening (Morgan, 2006). If the amygdala perceives something as threatening, then the ‘fight or flight’ response will be triggered. This involved the activation of other structures in the brain and the rest of the body, resulting in the release of ‘stress hormones,’ which include cortisol and adrenaline.

Responses to Anxiety

Children experiencing a ‘fight or flight’ response may show behaviours that challenge, or they may try to escape from or avoid the anxiety-provoking situation. They may also show a ‘freeze’ response, which could entail dropping to the floor or putting their head down on their desk. It is important to recognise that these behaviours may be a sign of anxiety.

Temple Grandin has said that:

“The principal emotion experienced by autistic people is fear.”

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Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are more common among people with autism than the general population. Approximately 40% of young people with autism may meet the criteria for an anxiety disorder (van Steensel et al, 2011). This is compared to estimated anxiety disorder rates of 12.3% of typically developing school-age children and 11% of typically developing adolescents (Costello et al, 2011).

There is some debate as to whether anxiety seen in people with autism is a part of autism itself or a separate co-occurring condition (Kerns and Kendall, 2012).

Whatever the origin, regularly experiencing high levels of anxiety can be damaging to the body. Stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are released when an individual is anxious. Long term exposure to these hormones may cause damage to the cardiovascular system, digestive system and immune system.

It is also difficult for a child to learn when anxious. This has been called ‘brain lock’ by Dr Ross Greene. Once a child is in a highly anxious state, their brain ‘locks’ and no new information can enter. In order for children to learn effectively, they need to be in a calm and relaxed state.

Given the negative consequences of regularly experiencing high levels of anxiety, it is important to support children and young people to reduce their anxiety levels and build their resilience. The rest of this section outlines some strategies which may be useful in order to prevent and manage anxiety.

For more information on what anxiety is, please see our Best Practice Resource.

For more information on anxiety in the teenage years, please see our Teenage Resource.