Anxiety can be a challenging issue for families with loved ones who have Down syndrome, especially as they age. We talk with Dr. Ruth Brown-Ennis, a respected authority in mental health for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, about potential causes of anxiety and strategies for caregivers and families to better support their loved ones experiencing anxiety.
Ruth Brown-Ennis, PhD, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. She has worked closely with families and self-advocates with Down syndrome for over 10 years to better understand mental health needs and improve care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her research focuses on helping individuals with Down syndrome who are dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, or trauma. Her goal is to make mental health care more compassionate, accessible, and responsive to the real-life experiences of individuals with Down syndrome and those who love them.
Resources
Managing Dementia-Related Anxiety in Adults with Down Syndrome https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hjglZqWqViKrJJ5fYSQEA2TxBrzuVAyq/view?usp=sharing
NTG https://www.the-ntg.org/family-caregiver-resources
Do2Learn do2learn.com
Hair pulling:
- Trichotillomania Fact Sheet https://www.abct.org/fact-sheets/trichotillomania/
- Adult Down Syndrome Center, Trichotillomania https://adscresources.advocatehealth.com/resources/trichotillomania/
- Memantine and Trichotillomania https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.pn.2023.05.5.29
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