ABSTRACT

Anxiety disorders are among the most common of mental disorders, and remain some of the most under-diagnosed. However, in patients with anxiety disorders, those reactions get out of proportion and significantly disturb daily life. Anxiety also puts a significant burden on family members, from the child’s demands to change routines and arrangements to minimise the anxiety to the impact of the worry caused by seeing the child in distress. Social anxiety disorder is rooted in a persistent fear of social situations because young person believes they will act in a way that will cause them intense humiliation or embarrassment. Post-traumatic stress disorder most typically arises after the young person has experienced severe stress, either of a prolonged nature, or repeated adverse events from which escape is difficult, such as torture, and childhood sexual or physical abuse. More recently, interest has been focused on whether specific medication given immediately after traumatic events can reduce the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder occurring.