After reading this forum, I'm nearly positive that my daughter suffers from Social Anxiety. The symptoms that other people are describing are exactly what my 13 year old daughter is experiencing! She can't handle public school anymore and I'm putting her in online school for the next semester. She's in the gifted program - her school counselor has told me that anxiety seems to attack the gifted kids more often because their brain seems to work a different way. They have a different way of looking at everything around them. She seems to think all her friends are against her and they are all talking about her behind her back (which is unfounded). She also has serious anger problems and will just go off without much provocation at all! It's also not helping that her father and I are getting divorced and we are moving this week. I think it's all coming down on her all at once, but we are doing the best we can.

She has complained of stomach pain for about 2 years now. It seems to be worse when she's stressed. She says it's always there, but sometimes feels like someone is stabbing her. We've had all kinds of tests done - from blood work to a colonoscopy - and they are not finding anything wrong. They keep saying she must have IBS or is just constipated, but I know that's not right. Neither one would hurt ALL the time.

I had her evaluated and the counselors there told me she needs anxiety medication and probably depression medication as well and suggested I make an appointment with a psychiatrist. I did this, but the soonest I could get in was in February. I did put her on the cancellation list so if anyone cancels, she may get a sooner appointment.

She's been in band since 4th grade and currently plays 3 instruments and wants to move on to a fourth (electric guitar) - she says playing her music is the only thing that makes her feel good about herself. It's just so sad - she's a beautiful girl and shouldn't be feeling this way about herself at 13!! I hope the medication will help her!