Anxiety Disorders

Back-to-school anxiety is a common experience that is often considered developmentally normative rather than a sign of distress. Symptoms may include physical issues like headaches or behavioral signs such as clinginess and irritability, which are sometimes linked to major transitions in schooling. Parents are advised to support their child by validating their emotions while reinforcing confidence using 'acceptance plus confidence.'

Scientists found a hidden brain nutrient deficit of choline in people with anxiety disorders, which could lead to new nutrition-based treatments. The deficit was most prominent in the prefrontal cortex, tied to emotional control and decision-making. This discovery may be the first clear chemical brain pattern linked to anxiety.