Girl talk leads to Anxiety Disorders?
A recent study found that pre-teen and teenage girls that continually discuss their problems with their friends could be at higher risk for developing depression and anxiety symptoms. It appears that all those hours on the phone could have a negative impact on the mental well being of these youngsters.
Stereotypically, young girls spend more time discussing their problems than young boys. In most cases, the time these children and teens spend gabbing on the phone does not have a negative impact. In fact, it builds a feeling of closeness and a bond between friends which can be viewed as a positive. Unfortunately it is a small population of children that take their evening chats a bit too far.
Girl talk leads to Anxiety Disorders?
These youngsters that develop anxiety syndromes display obsessive behaviours about these problems. They are unable to stop overthinking them and cannot find a healthy solution to a lot of the issues they are discussing. Often they continue to rediscuss the situation long after it has resolved. Many times these young girls do not discuss the problems with anyone else either.
So what can you do? First, monitor what your daughter is talking about and with whom. It is a fine line to be attentive or protective but not obtrusive. Other options that can help your daughters healthily adjust to dealing with more and more complex problems as they grow older is making a habit to talk about their day every day or every few days. Soon your daughter may be sharing the inner gossip she is holding close to her heart, which can protect her from developing anxiety disorders and perhaps develop a bond between the two of you.