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Anxiety, refusal to leave room

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Anxiety, refusal to leave room

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JoeLou20048

Anxiety, refusal to leave room

My son started high school this year. He has averaged attendance of 2-3 days per week, but recently that has dropped to 1 day. He won’t leave his bedroom, attend social events, join us for meals. He’s told us he’s a freak and doesn’t like being noticed. I have made an appointment to see a GP. I am just heartbroken and trying to stay calm and responsive. Any advice welcomed.

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Maddy-RO

Re: Anxiety, refusal to leave room

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Hi JoeLou20048

 

Aw, I'm so sorry to hear that your son is not attending school and feels like a freak. It sounds like the poor thing is going through a really difficult time Smiley Sad.

 

It's great that you have made an appointment for you/ your son to see a GP - hopefully, they can look into some support/intervention options for your son.

 

Staying calm and responsive is great. Some parents find it hard to know what to do/say and find getting professional support helpful. Some support options include:

  • ReachOut Parents One-on-One Support is a free service for parents/carers of 12 to 18-year-olds and includes up to four sessions with a professional experienced in supporting families. You can learn more about this service here.
  • Parentline is a phone service for parents and carers of children from birth to 18 years old. They offer free, confidential, and anonymous counseling and support on parenting issues. The number for Parentline differs per state. Scroll to the bottom of this page to see which number to call (the number differs per state) if you're interested. 

Please keep us updated on you/ your son's progress Heart.