Child Started College And Now Having Panic Attacks? Three Tips To Help Them

College can be stressful especially for someone that is in their first year. Many young adults, however, make it fine after the first few weeks when they become accustomed to everything. If your child, however, is having panic attacks during this time, then they are finding it much harder to adjust. This can cause them to fail their first year of college. Fortunately, they can get the help they need so they can go to college and start the career they will love. Below are three tips to help them do this:

Take Time Off

Because your child is having a hard time they should consider taking the semester or even the year off. This will give them time to determine why they are having such bad panic attacks so they can get the treatment they need. They can then spend the year getting the treatment right so they can start back to school in the fall.

See a Psychologist

Seeing a psychologist is important because they can help your child figure out what is going on.  In many cases, their psychologist will diagnose your child with a type of panic disorder. The psychologist will have many sessions with your child and go over what they are feeling during the panic attacks. Some common symptoms are heart palpitations, shortness of breath, excessive sweating, and chest pain.

Once they determine the type of problem your child has, they will start treatment with them. There are a variety of treatment options available. The psychologist will choose what would work best for your child. The psychologist will also likely prescribe medications to help your child control their symptoms.

Get a Psychiatric Service Dog

You should consider getting a psychiatric service dog for your child. They can take this dog with them to class. You cannot use any dog that you want as a service dog.  This is because the dog must be specifically trained to treat the condition, such as panic disorder. Once obtained, your child can then take their dog with them wherever they go.

Just having a companion along with them can help with their panic symptoms. A psychiatric service dog offers much more than this, however. They can bring medication to your child, along with a drink so they can take the medication. They can bring your child a phone if they are having an anxiety attack to allow them to call their doctor. If your child is in some type of crisis, their service dog can lead someone to them.

If the dog feels your child is about to have a panic attack, they will start licking their face. They can provide pressure to your child's abdomen or chest to help them feel calm.

These tips should help your child feel much better and lead a normal life. Check out a website like usaservicedogs.org for more information and assistance. 

Share