Crippling health epidemic is now facing a staggering number of Aussie kids – and experts fear that parents are to blame for the growing problem

Parents obsessed with helping their children ‘relax’ could be causing an anxiety epidemic in Australia, a clinical psychologist has warned.

Dr. Judith Locke helmed The Project on Thursday to deliver her harsh verdict on overprotective parents and caregivers who are causing a growing mental health crisis among young people.

She believes parents who worry too much turn their children’s “very normal stress levels” into outright “clinical anxiety.”

“The difference is that clinical anxiety is very pervasive,” Dr. Locke said.

‘It’s an extreme level of need and it really affects their lives.

“Whereas a kind of normal fear is anxiety or fear of doing something new or something challenging.”

Instead of focusing so heavily on their child’s feelings, Dr. Locke urged parents to take a step back, within reason, when their children are faced with challenges.

‘One of the big problems is that parents themselves are afraid that their child is anxious, and that causes them to ask their children a lot more: “What do you think about the school camp next week” or the school starting next week? she said.

“Those discussions about feelings focus a child on what may be just a little bit of nerves and start to amplify them, especially if the parent wants to be reassured that their child isn’t feeling those things.”

“They inadvertently magnify it and make it a much bigger deal than what’s good for them.”

Panelist Sam Taunton wondered why Dr. Locke believed that when dealing with children’s concerns, “less is the key.”

The expert’s answer was blunt: “Nerves are normal.”

‘Going for a job interview, starting a new job or a new school, These are normal things, but we turned them into something terrible,” she said.

‘We’ve come to think that we have to talk about feelings all the time.

“We’re much better at identifying feelings, but what comes out of that is we discuss them too much.”

Dr. Locke used the example of a child preparing for a presentation.

Dr. Locke explained to The Project panelists that parents draw too much attention to their children’s concerns and prevent them from building resilience (photo, panelist Sam Taunton)

“You notice that people are thinking a lot more about how they will feel about giving the speech in class next week than they are preparing for it,” she said.

‘The big problem with that is that they sometimes say to their GP or psychologist: ‘Can you write me a letter that will help me get out of the school camp’ or ‘Make sure I have my best friend in class’.

“It keeps them from learning to deal with somewhat challenging things, which only makes things worse over time.”

While it can be difficult to watch your children struggle, Dr. Locke emphasizes that a child’s ability to cope is key to tackling anxiety because it helps them build resilience, independence and resourcefulness.

“All these things come from doing hard things,” she said.

“…Even though it may make you feel terrible, encourage your child to do the hard things.”

Data from Queensland Health shows that one in 14 children and young people aged four to 17 in Australia experience an anxiety disorder.

The information was echoed in parents interviewed by The Project on the street, with many noting that their child appeared to be suffering from anxiety.

Data shows that one in fourteen children and young people aged four to seventeen in Australia experience an anxiety disorder

“It’s probably more common now than when I was a kid,” one person said.

“I think it’s something we worry about as the kids get older,” another admitted.

“I’m definitely worried about my daughter and what things will look like in probably five to 10 years,” said another.

If a young person in your life is struggling, call the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 for confidential support, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.