A thread for those with anxious sad teens who won't go to school

[CowboyJoeFromMexico]

Starting a new thread about this for us with anxious or depressed teenagers who can't go to school. Come and be sad, frustrated and not judged with us here.

I have very bright 13yr old who has crippling anxiety and just cannot go to school. She is dyspraxic, there is no bullying, she's very alternative and different but the other kids accept her.

Way too interested in tumblr and angsty online stuff, I lack the balls to take her phone away as I can't cope with 12 hours of screaming and tears. It's the only thing that stops her feeling anxious she says. She is so miserable and full of self loathing and it's heartbreaking.

is there anyone here still around?

I have a 17yo ds who has got as far as the station every day (school end), then half way up the road he finds he has to turn back because he's overwhelmed with feelings of sickness/diarrhoea- he then goes back to the station, goes in and out of the toilets and sits on the concourse all day. Then he comes home

the school are being very supportive. So far.

it's so hard. Especially not knowing what to DO. Do you accommodate the anxiety and find ways to avoid the situations which cause it the most? Or do you push a bit?

I'm trying to get the balance right. Have to say a lot of the time my natural inclination is to push- keep thinking of big birds giving baby birds a shove so they start to fly- but then I think ooh, what about when they misjudge and the baby ends up on the pavement EATEN BY A CAT

[trying to avoid ds getting eaten by cat emoticon]

if anyone feels they would rather discuss their dcs off board someone on this thread has started a closed fb group

there are only four of us at the moment so all welcome

Muddha - that's a great analogy about the bird and cat!
Rose - not sure if anyone's still watching this but I'm bumping it anyway.
It's come out a little bit more this week that my DD feels totally overwhelmed with her work, pressurised with exams coming up and constantly criticised by her teachers.
I'm sure what she's feeling is justified and her teachers are tough on her (she's a lazy moo!)
Her GP has prescribed Propanalol to help with the anxiety; she takes a small dose daily but can take an extra one in times of crisis, if needed. I don't know if they're working yet, but I think she sees it as a safety net if things get bad.
She's had holistic therapy which gave her coping strategies, but I don't think she's mature enough to put them into practice when it's needed - she just shuts down or goes into panic mode.