The following quotes are thoughts and reflections shared by Victorian parents of children who experience anxiety.
“The happy girl I knew is so much different now. She's unable to try new things because she's afraid of what people will think. She thinks she won't be good enough.”
"Early on I noticed he was nail biting, scared of the dark and constantly worrying. He had a fear of natural disasters (tsunamis), so avoided going to the beach.”
“She would be calm at school, then come home and explode, to the point where she would smash doors and break things.”
“She would say ‘I feel sick, I've got a sore tummy'. One minute she was fine, then she would throw up. I couldn't tell the difference between what were her worries and her genuinely being sick.”
“Many people feel shy and embarrassed to get help in my culture. But if you need help, you should get help.”
"Anxiety can manifest in so many different ways – it's hard to recognise. It’s important to trust yourself as a parent.”