These studies target anxious children but are they not most probably children who have moderate to severe depression,that will one day have chronic depression ? I assume these children are challenging to the point of making family life unbearable.Is it only when they reach adulthood and really create mayhem do we then call it depression,and not anxiety? The question seems to be,what kind of children are being treated? If they are depressives then it seems they must be treated out of their delusional world back into reality. Who can make such a call? It's as if their future bad deeds will help define their condition and victims await their day.I'm being way too melancholic here, on a lighter note,have you tasted the CRUNCH CRISP wafer bars by NESTLE,very yummy!

Hi Peter,

I'm a non-medical therapist but I've worked with many patients who've been prescribed medications, often at my urging them to do so.

I applaud your sharing the wisdom of the effectiveness of lower doses. I continually see patients over-medicated, particularly with SSRI's. I've found many people reach a therapeutic dosage at 25mg of zoloft.

Also, I've seen teenagers treated with 50 mg and more of zoloft who've had violent reactions, not consistent with their character and potentially very dangerous. At the higher doses the medication has to be stopped when this problem occurs, yet it could easily be avoided by waiting and seeing what the lower dosage will do.

I'm the author of Help Is On Its Way – A Memoir About Growing Up Sensitive. I grew up with the trait of high sensitivity, but it was not discovered until I was 32. When I was a child, my parents thought I was depressed. I was very anxious because of the family's unstable circumstances. I had the trait of high sensitivity highly but nobody understood that. Thankfully it was during a time when there were no medications for anxiety.

I hope that this post will help me help parents learn about the trait of high sensitivity, so parents can understand certain anxious children and to comfort and validate these children, their feelings, and their experiences.

HIGH SENSITIVITY, EXPLAINED:

Kids with high sensitivity are born with a more keenly developed nervous system. (15-20 percent of kids have the trait of high sensitivity.) That’s 20 million children in the United States alone. Usually if a child or teen has the trait, at least one of their parents has it, too, or maybe their sisters or brothers. It is inherited.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE:

Below are a few sample questions that you’d answer a strong yes to if you’re highly sensitive...

* Are you bothered by bright lights, strong smells, scratchy clothes, or sirens nearby?

* Do you get rattled under time pressure, especially during tests and when someone is watching over you?

* Do you avoid violent movies and TV shows?

* Can you easily sense other people's feelings? Do you put other people’s needs before yours?

* Do you need to withdraw during busy days to someplace where you can have privacy and relief?

* Do you go out of your way to avoid social situations you think might be upsetting or overwhelming?

* Do you have a creative and complex inner life?

* Do (did) your parents or teachers see you as sensitive or shy?

WHAT IT FEELS LIKE:

A highly sensitive child will pick up on all the subtle things going on around him/her in a magnified way. There is a strong intuition and perception present in a highly sensitive child. They can sense a lot of what’s going on around them. They can see other people’s needs and that makes them want to help make things better, but also feel overwhelmed by the largeness of that task. This makes them appear "pouty," withdrawn, anxious or depressed. They find it impossible to put their feelings into words. Sometimes, as teens, they can get tangled up in trying to fix other people’s problems that they neglect their own basic needs, which heightens the anxiety even more.

However, when highly sensitive kids are exposed to people who encourage their deep feelings and natural tendencies, these kids absolutely shine. They gain confidence and develop solid, healthy boundaries. They're very creative, visionary, and conscientious by nature.

HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR LEARNING MORE:

A great book to start with for highly sensitive children teens or adults is The Highly Sensitive Person or The Highly Sensitive Child by Elaine Aron, because they help readers identify and understand this trait of sensitivity. Teens with more difficult backgrounds might benefit by reading my coming-of-age memoir, Help Is On Its Way. Dr. Elaine Aron has endorsed this book.

I lived with high anxiety for decades because I was told who I was was wrong and I didn't understand why my feelings were so big compared to others. I wrote my coming of age story to help kids and teens feel more understood. This book puts high anxiety into words and allows parents, teachers, counselors, guardians and others see the big picture of what is affecting the child.

Truly, all that is needed is love and understanding.