Mindfulness as an Effective Strategy for Anxiety Relief in Adolescent Patients

DiBella, Desiree N

Item

Mindfulness as an Effective Strategy for Anxiety Relief in Adolescent Patients

DiBella, Desiree N

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Abstract

Anxiety disorders affect 6.8 million adults over the age of 18 in the United States, and anxiety disorders are the most common mental health illness in children. Risk Factors for anxiety disorders in young adults include the following: -Shyness, or behavioral inhibition, in childhood -Being of the female sex -Having few economic resources -Exposure to stressful life events in childhood -Anxiety disorders in close biological relatives -Parental history of mental disorders -Elevated afternoon cortisol levels in the saliva Teens and young adults increasingly suffer from anxiety disorders with the CDC reporting the rate of anxiety disorders among 3 to 17 year olds in the range of 3% with current symptoms to 4.7% having ever reported having anxiety. Mindfulness or the ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overwhelmed by what’s going on around us, can be effective means to manage stress and anxiety symptoms. Primary care physicians can introduce and practice mindfulness strategies within patient visits in addition to or replacement for management with medications.