My husband and I watched a recent episode of Mystery Diagnosis where a woman did what I have been doing and she found answers and her daughter is doing better now. She looked for answers for about five years, going to lots of doctors before she got answers and help for her daughter. I am sure she had anxiety when her daughter was in pain from frequent headaches. She did not need neurocognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety. She needed answers and she did finally get the help her daughter needed.
I agree with this approximately 50%. (I once had a social worker look at me and say, "I can't help you with your anxiety, because your problems are real.") Yes, there are kinds of anxiety-- probably most kinds-- that are not pathological and come from situations and experiences where anxiety is justified.
AND YET-- could that mom have benefited from something like cognitive-behavior therapy for her anxiety? I would bet yes.
Scientists are increasingly finding that parents who survive serious traumatic events regarding their children-- which can include life-threatening illnesses, long term disabilities, and the like-- have post traumatic stress symptoms. This can be totally disabling. Even if the anxiety is all for the right reasons. And treating it can make things better for the child as well as the parent.
My two cents.
DeeDee
