Panic attacks and Sixth Form

[Worrier321]

DD suffered panic attacks throughout year 10 and 11 to the extent that she was barely going to school at the end. She passed her GCSEs but most were lower than her predicted grades because of the level of absenteeism.

She started Sixth Form at a new school and all was fine at first but now the panic attacks have returned. No idea what to do. She tried cahms last year but found them worse than useless and our GP tried to refer her to adult mental health services but they just referred her back. DD has no idea why she is anxious. The panic attacks only occur before or at school and not in the rest of her life.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what might help?

I am wondering if she should give up on A levels altogether and maybe do an Art course instead as that is her eventual degree ambition.

Is there any way you could afford some private therapy for her? CBT is great for anxiety and is a shorter term type of therapy normally.

Aside from that, lots of physical exercise, look up mindfulness exercises she can do to keep her in the moment. Lots of self help books with exercises she can do in them as well.

Re her studies, I wouldn't be giving up on A-levels just yet, give it a while longer.

Poor love, panic attacks are dreadful, I hope she feels better soon.

Also re the private therapy, in some areas there are charities/organizations that offer therapy on a sliding scale. Also, check out the mind website and see if you can contact them for ideas, they're great.

Excellent suggestions thank you. Any idea how to contact a private CBT practitioner (psychologist?).

You need a psychologist or a psychotherapist, it doesn't have to be CBT but that is best for anxiety/panic I believe but there are other therapies that work for anxiety and panic too. Google is your friend, have a look for psychotherapists and psychologists in your area, they should/will probably have websites and then call and discuss your daughters needs with them and have some initial consultations and see how it goes from there.

Has the GP not prescribed anything? Psychotherapy and CBY are great but that will take a while and all the while she is missing pout on her education.She needs something to enable her to get back to school now!

Brioche202

Meds are not always the answer, especially for a 16 year old, they're great when needed but trying therapy first is better initially, if it's only affecting one area of her life (although a very important one), the chances are it can be worked through fairly quickly, some people can recover to a liveable extent in 6 or so sessions (so 6 weeks if once a week).

They also don't make the problem go away instantly like that and anti anxiety meds are only short term/can be addictive, it's unlikely a gp will give a 16 yo valium or similar, in some people with panic attacks it can also reinforce the problem.

Don't give up yet. Is there a teacher responsible for pastoral issues in year 12? Panic attacks are far more common than you might think and (as a private tutor) I've often supported teenagers who are struggling to get to all their lessons. Some schools can be fantastically understanding and helpful in getting pupils through difficult times. Others are rubbish-fingers crossed yours is s good one!

I've had pupils miss almost every lesson in year 12 but still come out with great A levels at the end of year 13 after getting some counselling (either privately or through the NHS-waiting lists really vary). I say this as a bit of encouragement that even though things might look very bleak and difficult now with proper support your daughter still has a great chance of doing well. If she'd prefer to do an art course instead that's great, but it might not necessarily solve the problem if she hasn't learnt some strategies for dealing with the panic attacks.

Really good luck to you both.

GPs do very commonly prescribe betablockers for teenagers in the months leading up to external exams.

I was exactly the same as your daughter. My parents knew nothing about panic attacks and mental health issues, but they took me to the gp and I got some medication that really helped me. It annoys me when people appear so against medication under the guise of 'it won't take the problem away.' This shows that they know nothing about why panic attacks happen. It's like saying that you shouldn't take medication for diabetes or epilepsy. My panic attacks were linked to hormonal changes and I still get them at certain times of the month. No amount of talking therapy will stop them. I had no reason to be anxious then and still don't now. But I do still get panic attacks. The difference is that I now know how to handle them and no one would know that I was having one.

OP it sounds like you are really trying to help your DD and that is great. It's still early in the term so time to decide what she would like to do. If she really likes the idea of an art course then that may be the way forward, but keep in mind that whilst school appears to be the trigger it may not be as simple as a change of course to sort this out.

AMonsterInParis

I wasn't being anti medication, I said they should maybe try therapy first, which is always a good idea, I also said meds are great when needed. My (debilitating) panic attacks were treated with therapy due to a very odd fear so was behavioural, yours with meds, different things work for different people.

If OP's DD is only having them at school/before school and nowhere else, that would indicate a behavioural trigger/root, something that therapy is much better for than medication. It's not the same as a hormonal imbalance. Panic attacks can happen for a multitude of reasons some reasons are treated better with different things.

I wrote a response earlier but for some reason it didn't go through.

We got great help for our boys through Relate. They offer free counselling for teens. All you have to pay for is the initial consultation, which in our case it was a family session. It is a self referral service so no need to go through the GP though it is probably a good idea to let them know so that there is some record of there being a problem in case you need their services at a later date.

Thank you all for your comments. I think we'll try the CBT route first and ask the GP for a private referral.

Try the BACP They have a directory of qualified therapists from all over the UK who have met pretty stringent criteria to qualify. Try and get someone who specifically understands adolescents. Panic attacks can increase in the teenage years. Hormones may play a part for sure and the changes in brain structure that occurs. Put that with changing body, exam stress, growing independence and under developed coping strategies as they've not had time to hone them and it's a cocktail for panic attacks. They usually pass but sometimes help is needed whether through meds therapy or both or just understanding the problem isn't them but what's happening to them which is temporary. Best of Luck. I'm taking it that there isn't a counsellor at school.

Does your DD do much sports? I think sports normally help release the pressure. Espeically Taichi and Yoga. Maybe you can encourage her to learn some of this.

Would a btec be an option. They are still lots of work but don't have the intense exams that A levels have. Alevels are very stressful for a lot of students irrespective of whether the students are higher or lower ability.

Worrier321, can we hold hands?! My DD was also diagnosed with a Panic Disorder in Y10, got good GCSE's and has now started at Sixth Form in a new school! Hers also only occur in school. She is now saying Sixth Form is not for her...

We were very lucky that she got referred to a fantastic CAMHS practitioner who really helped her through Y10 and things have gradually got better. She also had brilliant support from the Pastoral System at her old school She now has Panic Attacks much less frequently and she has not missed any school days because of them. The strategy that worked best for her was to leave the lesson when she felt one coming on and return when calmed. However the new school doesn't seem to have the same way with Pastoral Care and she is now getting more anxious because of this/the pressure of changing schools and starting A'levels.

One of my oldest friends also suffers from Panic Attacks, but has got it under control - she had CBT, but has given me some good advice - will try to remember it!

AmonsterinParis, I think DD's are linked to hormones - definitely worse at certain times of the month. Have you tried anything like going on the pill or hormonal treatment?

Thanks bigtillymint that's inspiring!

I think Sixth Form at a new school was a big mistake. She is hanging around with a crowd who go boozing in the park etc and she has started lying about her whereabouts.

Doing very little work. I had a go at her on Monday, after I found her 'homework with old school friends' on Sunday was actually a trip to the park with new friends. I had originally asked her to stay home to do homework and tidy her room but she told me she missed her old friends soooo much! A picture was posted on her FB by one of the new crowd. I admit I had a right go at her. The panic attacks started again after that. All my fault as usual

Oh dear, Worrier. It's not your fault - she is choosing to do the wrong thing. She is 16 not 6 and should be taking responsibility for her own actions (just like mine should) Perhaps she is finding the change really difficult, but she can't blame her making bad choices on you.

What is the Pastoral Support at her new school like? So far the support at DD's new school is not as supportive as at her old school and she is finding it difficult. It is hard starting at a new school for anyone, but probably particularly hard for them. I am trying to focus on making sure that they get a plan in place whilst trying to get DD to see that she has to take responsibility for herself in terms of making the right choices.

It's not easy, is it?

Thanks. Pastoral care is non existent. Got a phone call from Head of Sixth saying they need a doctors note. As presumably they don't believe me - she was late due to panic attack and I didn't think it was fair she got detention.

I really regret moving her - her old school was results orientated and a nasty place overall, but at least I wasn't asked to provide medical proof.

Does she have a diagnosis? The new school DD has gone to have also asked to see hers. Luckily we have letters with advice to her old school on how to manage it - I'm not sure if there is anyone at the new school who would take it seriously without it or even with it!

The GP is aware as she referred to cahms. No diagnosis as such. Her old school never asked for proof but as she had panic attacks in class I suppose it was obvious. I don't think she was the only one and they were very good about exams etc - in a separate building with other sufferers.

It's terrible, the lack of understanding about MH issues in some schools, isn't it? Could the GP write a letter saying she has been referred to CAMHS?

I bet she wasn't the only one - DD said there were lots suffering with anxiety in her old school. But I suppose different children are affected differently. It probably is quite difficult when the child is bubbly and bright and not a quiet child in certain situations, to grasp that they still can have massive anxieties about stuff in other situations. And how much of it is due to emotional immaturity, etc.

I am still waiting for the person at DD's new school to call me back about a plan. I am wondering if they hope the PD will just stop like magic, or if they hope DD will just disappear back to her old school

Sorry that the new school is not as supportive. I hope they get their act together. It must be very frustrating.

I developed a fear of crowds at the same age and was prescribed Valium - things are a bit more progressive nowadays at least in terms of treatment.