Fear is an adaptation behavior necessary for the continuation of life, a natural reaction to external dangers. However, excessive amounts can disrupt functionality. Anxiety is defined as "unrest with the expectation of emotional danger." Fear and anxiety are emotions experienced by healthy individuals throughout life and have a protective and adaptive function during the development of individuals. It develops in parallel with cognitive and social skills. Sometimes this natural reaction becomes so extreme that; It disrupts the person's daily work and order. Fear is a very common reaction in children. It is natural for a small baby who does not know his environment and is unaware of what is going on around him to be afraid of everything he does not know. These fears are expected to decrease as he grows up. The child's cognitive development and increased recognition of the environment reduce the number of objects and situations to be afraid of. However, due to the wrong attitudes of parents and their teaching of fear to their children, these temporary fears may continue for many years. In our society, intimidation is used as a kind of education and discipline tool. This instills fear in the child. It may not always be possible to find the cause of the fear. Fear can develop in a child without the attitude and teaching of the parents. Normal fears decrease with age. So, what are the fears of childhood that are temporary, non-pathological, and do not affect or hinder the child's functionality, that is, his daily life? Children between the ages of 8 months and 2 years are afraid of loud noises, unexpected events and separation from attachment figures... Animals between the ages of 2-4 and from the dark...
Between the ages of 4-6, they are afraid of ghosts, monsters and the voices they hear at night (created in their dreams)..
After the age of 6, they are afraid of harm, death and natural disasters... During adolescence, the fear of failure, criticism and not being accepted is normal.
Anxiety disorders are psychiatric disorders that are common in childhood, characterized by an excessive, persistent, anxiety response that causes significant distress and loss of function. Anxiety disorders significantly affect academic success in children and the development of family and friendship relationships, and if left untreated, they become more severe in adulthood. It causes excessive deterioration and loss of function. The prevalence of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents is 2-10 percent. It is more common in girls than boys. The presence of a healthy attachment and the development of a trusting relationship between the parent and the child are protective against the development of anxiety disorders in children. Having an anxiety disorder in a parent increases the risk of developing it in the child by 2-5 times. Children who cannot face the realities of the outside world due to parental attitudes such as over-controlling their emotions, thoughts and behaviors, and constant criticism, have difficulty finding solutions to events. They experience self-confidence and anxiety problems. On the other hand, children who take anxious parents as a model develop anxiety through learning by receiving the message "I need to worry."
To prevent children's normal age-specific fears or excessive fears and anxieties that are incompatible with their age, chronic, and affect their daily lives, from becoming permanent instead of waiting for them to go away on their own, and to prevent the child trying to cope with these fears and anxieties, avoidance, distraction, depression, self-confidence. Help must be sought to prevent other problems such as miscarriage, which will cause loss in life.
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