THERE is an increase in the number of children suffering from anxiety disorder, experts said, adding that young teenagers are ill equipped to deal with stress.

Counsellors the problem was especially acute in urban areas, with more cases among working women as well.

“That is because children from the big cities are more likely to suffer from stress than their peers in the smaller towns and rural countryside,” counsellor Yap Hui Ling told The Malaysian Insight.

“Anxiety disorder has no respect for age. Anyone can suffer from it,” she said.

Meanwhile, clinical psychologist Dr Yeoh Si Han disclosed she has a patient who is only 13 years old.

She said the teen had told her parents to take her to an expert because she claimed she has “an emotional problem that could not be solved”.

“She was throwing tantrums and had also become increasingly irritable,” Yeoh added.

Tan Chee Seng, founder of D’Dawn Psychologist Development Centre, said working mothers in the big cities are at risk because “women in general suffer from greater mood swings than men when under stress”.

Tan said working women also have to deal with the stress of work and then the stress of the family when they get home.

“The men only have to worry about their work.”

Meanwhile, Yeoh said clinical studies show more women are diagnosed because women readily admit their problems, while men tend not to want the stigma associated with mental health problems.

“Women are more likely to express their worries and do so differently from men.”

She said suicide was one such example. She said men are more prone to take their life when under severe stress “because they don’t talk about it”.

She said suicides among women are lower because women vent about their problems.

“They go and talk to their friends.”

The Malaysian Mental Health Association (MMHA) recently reported about 8 million people between the ages of 18 and 60 suffering from various forms of anxiety disorder, with women twice as likely to be diagnosed.

Major causes

Tan also warned that cases of anxiety disorder in urban areas will increase in future.

“The lifestyle in the cities is time intensive. People hustle and bustle daily to try and get everything done in a day.”

The constant stress and tension, he said, is the main cause.

When a person develops anxiety disorder, he or she tends to feel nervous and becomes very fidgety, an emotional state that can worsen when he or she has nothing to do.

Tan said anyone showing any of these symptoms should take it as a warning to slow down.

“Don’t push yourself so hard. Slow down.”

Meanwhile, Yeoh said people suffer from the disorder because they are out of their comfort zone, using the Covid-19 pandemic as an example.

Genetics and even childhood trauma could also be causes, she said, adding that a cause for alarm is that most people are not aware of, or do not understand, anxiety disorder.

“They might not know what they have, even though all the symptoms are there.”

She said most are reluctant to seek treatment for fear of the “mental illness” stigma.

“It is important to seek assistance. Do not delay until the problem gets too serious.”

Yap said social media in a way is also a contributing factor.

“When your friends and people around you keep uploading photos of their holiday trips, designer bags and the likes, they more-or-less trigger a feeling of anxiety due to a perceived inferior social status compared to their friends.”

Speak to friends and family

Yap said the severity of the condition can vary.

“If it is so severe that it affects concentration, sleep, work, relationships and the inability to carry out daily activities, it may require an evaluation by a psychologist.”

Yap said anxiety disorder means a person is always in a state of anxiety and “very anxious”.

A counsellor with eight years of experience, Yap provides counselling, play therapy, presentations and training in centres and educational institutions for children, adolescents and adults.

“I strongly recommend people pay more attention to their mental state and emotions. Do a little self-check and ask yourself if you’ve felt anxious a lot in the past week.

“If you notice that your mood is very erratic, go talk to your family or friends.”

She added that exercise, adequate sleep and a regular diet will all help improve mood.

MMHA president Dr Andrew Mohanraj said based on an estimate from a study, 25% of the global population has anxiety disorder.

“However, the increase in symptoms is in line with the findings of the Malaysian Health Study that 29% of the population has weak mental health.”

He also said that awareness of anxiety disorders is still low.

“If left untreated, the condition could become severe.” – April 1, 2023.