Hi, my 12 year old daughter (who to look at looks more like 16) started secondary school last year. This seems to have triggered a generalised anxiety. She was basically wired and tired as soon as she started, she moved from a class of 14 at primary to secondary. The anxiety caused nausea (which seems to manifest before she eats - I know anxiety surprises appetite) It has been coming and going, with periods in between where she is a more relaxed and eating tonnes. No body image problems, she's very positive about her personality and how she looks. It's the anxiety. She's grown massively over the last 12 months too, so I can't help but think hormones are causing the anxiety. She started her periods when she was 10.
She gets upset and angry and says she doesn't know when she feels anxious, she's happy at school (has tonnes of friends) super social, is very clever and doesn't have to work hard to do well at school. Shes chilled about school. She says she genuinely loves school and it's her happy place but I do feel it fills her head with crap she doesn't need.
I keep wondering if it's just the sensory overload of secondary school, her stress bucket is filling quicker (we've said that maybe that's just the way she's made, it's not fair but she will have to learn to self care and keep stress bucket emptying when she can)
she pushes through the nausea to eat and I'm keeping things relaxed, no pressure. She understands loads about anxiety (fight and flight) and how it works. She has had a short course of hypnotherapy (which included lots of about learning about anxiety) which helped but it's come back again.
I guess I'm asking if this rings any bells for any of you out there. I'm convinced it's generalised anxiety, brought on by over stimulation and hormones and growth spurts don't help. I'm going to try and look to see what we can do about the nausea. She's had a blood test which was okay. Might try ant acids.
its horrible seeing kids struggle with anxiety, would be easier if she had been bullied, something triggered it which we could resolve but I think it is just one of those things. I've told her that she can learn how to manage it, which will be a great life skill for her. It's easier for us grown ups, as we can hop off to the Gp and they are more than happy to prescribe something (no belittling adults who have anxiety though!) for kids they have to struggle through.
big hugs to all of those out there with kids struggling with anxiety xx