Anxiety UK, Britain’s largest anxiety disorders charity, is today launching a DVD and booklet dealing with the huge, and often overlooked, issue of anxiety in childhood. This announcement comes the day after Professor Al Aynsley-Green, the children's commissioner for England has said there is "some way to go" to improve NHS care for mentally ill children.
One in ten children aged five to 16 suffer from a mental health disorder - that is around three in every school class, and emotional disorders (anxiety and depression) are the most common of all childhood mental health problems.
Anxiety UK is offering a free copy of these important resources to every family, school or organisation that gets in touch. “I would urge everyone with a responsibility to care for children to get in touch with Anxiety UK for a copy of this free DVD and booklet,” said Nicky Lidbetter, CEO of Anxiety UK. “Too often anxiety is overshadowed by behavioural problems in settings such as schools or clubs, as children/young people with behavioural issues demand a disproportionate amount of attention. This can be at the expense of an anxious child/young person sitting quietly in the corner who may be struggling with huge internal distress. It is time to redress this balance, increase understanding of anxiety disorders in young people, and give the large number of anxious children in the UK the help they desperately need.”
Isobel, now 19, suffered with terrible school anxiety and emetophobia (vomit phobia) for much of her childhood. She says, “I had problems telling my school about my anxiety, and found that they didn't properly understand the demands of living with an anxiety condition, and how it would affect one of their students. I found they didn't understand how difficult school became for me, or have a realistic idea of how to help me overcome my difficulties and continue with my education. I hope the Anxiety UK DVD and booklet help other young people to see that anxiety disorders are not weird or strange and that with time and the right support things to do get easier and there is a lot to look forward to in the future.”
Contact Anxiety UK on info@anxietyuk.org.uk or 08444 775 774 to order your free copy of the DVD and booklet. There is a suggestion donation of £5 to cover the charity’s costs, but this is not essential.
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