Panic when picking my son up from school

[Mogwog]

I don't know why this is happening but since April this year I ahve started to panic when I am in the playground waiting to collect my son from school. I don't understand why I am doing this?

He is disabled and has special needs and I was thinking maybe it has something to do wih that - that I am worried his teaching assistant will come out and tell me something bad has happened at school - like someone has made fun of him or something - its crazy I feel like I am going mad.

I get palpatations, feel really sick to the point of thinking I may vomit and I just can't wait to get back to the car.

Why I am doing this? Does anyone else get the same way?

Thanks

L.xxx

[dizzyman]

Hi there

I get the same thing although this is only one of the many situations I can have panicky episodes. Whilst I am waiting there I just cannot wait for the dam bell to ring so I can get the hell out of there. I feel like I am going to pass out, and find it hard to focus on one thing at a time due the number of other parents also standing around. Not good - I hope you get better.

Dave x

[bottleblond]

Hi Mog

A school playground can be a very scary place if we suffer from anxiety.

It never bothered me much until my anxiety started to get a tad worse.
After then, i found myself standing back from everyone, then i would wait outside the gate, and eventually i waited at the bottom on the lane.

Will your little lad having special needs, i understand this is not an option for you but in a way, it's a good thing hun because the more you back away and distance yourself, the more difficult it becomes and more limited you yourself will become.

I know it's hard but stick with it. Just remember those around you are human beings and if someone poked fun at your son, it would not be appreciated by any decent parent or teacher.

You sound like a fantastic mum so you stand there proud hun.

Lisa
xxx
:hugs:

[Mogwog]

Thanks for your replies

Its comforting to know i'm not alone in feeling this way.

Laura.xxx

[midgey]

OMG, thats so weird....I feel exactly the same.
My counsellor last year told me to take one other mum into my confidence and explain that I was finding things hard. I wrote it down and asked her if she would bring my son to the gate for me so I could stay in my car for as long as possible. I now manage to get into the school gates but feel faint, feel like i'm going to have diarrohea.
I know that avoidance is not the answer but don't really have any other answers......but it does help me to know it's not just me.......I'm not going mad !!
Take care x:hugs:

[Katie6]

I too found myself dreading the school playground, i ahve been unwell for 2 years now to the point of being bedridden, but at the begining of my health declining, just over 2 years ago, i was trying hard to continue to function as normal, on picking my children up from school, i was feeling very dizzy, then i collapsed in the playground, i was on the floor and unable to get up, an ambulance was called but they took half an hour to get there so i was stuck on the floor of a public place and very worried about my children, (who were very well looked after by the school and a close friend) shortly after arriving at the hospital i recovered, and was allowed home, but after i felt terrified of doing the school run, i was not as bad in the morning as i was able to just drop them off and go, but totally hated the waiting for them to come out, i am unable to do school runs at all now due to my decline in health, we have moved house 100 miles away now, and when the day comes that i am well enough to function and take my children to and from school, i do not know how i will cope with it. I am not sure which is scarier, the place where it happened or a totally new school. x

[Mogwog]

Hi Midgey and Katie

Its so nice to hear other peoples stories and realise I am not alone in this. I have had anxeity for a while mainly health anxeity. I have always been worried about being in the playground waiting, but it got worse when I took my son in one day when I wasn't feeling too well, I think I had a bug as I felt really sick and thought I was going throw up and got really panicky - it has escalated from there really.

I live in hope that one day I will be able to pick him up without a care in the world!

I hope things get better for you both too.

Take care

Laura.xxxx

[mistyhaiz]

i also have the same problem i haven't picked my daughter up from school for months i'm too scared to do it lucky i have my eldest daughter who goes. i know i should go myself i will when i'm ready it's just the fear of standing there that puts me off. hope you feel better soon x

[stacy1912]

Oh bless you, I am exactly the same. It is the worst place for me with this anxiety!! I suffer with HA and imagine that I will collapse every day standing in the blasted playground!!

Take comfort at 3pm that loads of us are in the same boat and desperate for the bell to ring so we can escape!!

Take care

[archiesmumemma]

hi i get the same! i stand on my own and dont speak to any other parents and my son archie is 5 and currently being assessed for aspergers/dyspraxia/adhd and he is very hyperactive and boisterous and i get the teachers coming over to me and archie has knocked children over before and the parents are obviously not happy!! i get out of the car at the last second and on occassions i ve gone and got him 10 mins early using appointments as excuses so i dont have to stand with the other parents!!