This edition of The Bridge covers the topic of anxiety. Owing to anxiety being common, with all of us experiencing a state of anxiety at some time and many also having trait anxiety, it is no surprise that ACAMH’s two main academic outputs the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Mental Health contain some good quality research on anxiety advancing our knowledge of the science and evidence-based practice.
In recent years there has been a particular focus on anxiety in Children and Young People with Children’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies having a CBT training scheme and the Government’s (England) Green paper on Education and Mental Health concentrating on providing input into schools concentrating on lower level depression and anxiety. NICE also has guidance on certain anxiety types. Of course, there are many types of anxiety disorders from Generalised, OCD, PTSD, phobias and specific ones that appear to be linked to other conditions e.g. transition anxiety in ASD. It is important that we understand what works for whom and that one size will not fit all. The advancement of science in this area and then the putting of this evidence base into practice is paramount to meet the needs of children and young people with anxiety. Otherwise, we just end up with adults with anxiety and the longer term effects of this on individuals and society.
ACAMH also has essentials training courses in anxiety and anxiety in its many types regularly features within the events calendar throughout ACAMH’s footprint (UK, EIRE and Malta). Earlier, in 2018, an Anxiety Disorder Topic Guide was also added to the website.
In this edition there are journal article summaries with a new format highlighting ACAMH’s new touchstones where relevant;
- policy
- clinical practice
- schools and education practice
- service development
- gaps and recommendations for further science.
By focussing on these, ACAMH is striving to create information streams that are of relevance.
The Bridge has changed much over the years in style and content and under the steer of Juliette Kennedy (The Bridge editor), has moved into the modern digital age and with a new publication team behind The Bridge has become a monthly feature, having previously been published 3 to 4 times a year. I am honoured to return as a Guest Editor and hope that I can do it justice over the next few months. If you have any ideas for content or feedback on the bridge whilst I am acting as Guest Editor, please email me.
Please feel free to share The Bridge Anxiety Edition and the direct links below with colleagues. I hope you enjoy reading this edition of The Bridge and more themed versions will be published each month in 2019.
Articles from this edition
Adult ABMT protocols need adapting for effective use in children
Clinician-led group CBT training can reduce anxiety in children
Friends programme reduced anxiety, but has no effect on school academic performance
MEG confirms hyper-vigilance followed by threat avoidance in children with anxiety disorder
Meta-analysis of secondary anxiety prevention
Children with a Specific Phobia do better in Individual CBT than Group CBT and guided parent-led CBT
Negative interpretation bias in adolescents with subclinical social anxiety disorder
Discussion
My DAUGHTER HAS BEEN STRUGGLING AND SUFFERING WITH SEVERE ANXIETY AND THEN STILL ANXIETY BUT AS SEVERE, BEEN IN CAMHS SINCE 2016 FIRST APOINTMENT 10/02/16 TOLD A NUMBER OF THINGS SOME DIFFERING FROM WHAT WAS SAID PREVIOUSLY, LAST THING THE DICTOR TOLD ME WAS IT IS MY FAULT FOR LEAVING MY DAUGHTER IN THE PLACE THAT CAUSES HER ANXETY AND ITIS TOOLATE TO MOVE HER TO A SPECIAL SCHOOL, THEN IN THE SAME APPOINTMENT HE SAYS SHE NEEDS TO FACE HER ANXIETY TO GO/BE IN THE PLACES THAT CAUSE HER ANXIETY. tHIS DOCTOR AS ONLY MENTIONED THE SPECAIL SCHOOLONCE BEFORE AND MY DAUGHTER HAD NOT LONG MOVED TO ANOTHER MAIN STREAM SECONDARY SCHOOL AND SHE SAID SHE DID NOT WANT TO MOVE AGAIN, MY DAUGHTER WILL BE 16 IN 2019 AND WILL HAVE TO OMVE TO THE ADULT SERVICES, WE HAVE NEEN TOTALYY LET DOWN BY CAMHS, MYDAUGHTER HAS DEPRESSION ALSO , HAS NOT ATTEND SCHOOL FULLY SINCE HER FIRST YEAR AT SECONDARY SCHOOL, THINGS HAVE NOT IMPROVED WITHTHE MOVE TO THE NEW SCHOOL HAVE GOT WORSE IN FACT, BUT EVERY YEAR COME THE WINTER MONTHS November SHE GOES DOWN HILL, I USE A LIGHT BOX BUT UNSURE IF IT HELPS, SHE CAN NOT CARRY ON LIKE THIS, SHE WILL LEAVE SECONDARY SCHOOL WITH NO QUALIFICATIONS AND IT IS A SHAME HAS SHE IS A BRIGHT GIRL, WORRIED MOTHER, CAN YOU OFFER ME ANY HELP.
Perhaps requesting a second GP opinion could be a way forward. There are also a number of organisations with resources that might be of use Young Minds Anxiety UK and Mental Health Foundation all could be useful reference points.