If you have anxiety, be glad! Appreciate your anxiety for all the ways it helps you. Think not? Think again.

Imagine what your world would be like without any anxiety at all. Sounds sort of nice, doesn’t it? You awaken each day with no fear or negative anticipations. No nightmares the night before. You anticipate only joy and pleasure. Your future looks mellow, secure and serene. No problems to worry about. No need for tranquilizers and probably not for sleeping aids. What could be better than that?

We’ve been working on a book project about children and psychology. We’re more than half way done and beginning to see the end in sight. A lot of material in the book concerns the diagnosis of childhood emotional disorders–including anxiety, depression, and behavior disorders such as oppositional defiant disorder.

We’ve both had lots of experience with children having these sorts of problems. Between the two of us, we’ve worked with kids in their homes, schools, hospitals, residential treatment centers, detention centers, and in our own offices. We’ve treated kids with anxiety disorders, depression, and behavior problems (as well as a lot of other difficulties).

I grew up in the Midwest where school always started the day after Labor Day. Here in New Mexico students have already been back for three weeks. New Mexico kids start school in the middle of August and get out late in May—I’m not sure why—maybe it’s to help plant and harvest the green chili crop (probably not). By the way, if you haven’t been to New Mexico in the fall, nothings better than the smell of roasting green chiles.