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> Demsky sought help from educators, doctors and counselors, trying to understand what was stopping her son from going to school for nearly a year. Finally, a p
by RcouF1uZ4gsC 3y ago
> Demsky sought help from educators, doctors and counselors, trying to understand what was stopping her son from going to school for nearly a year. Finally, a psychiatrist told Demsky about a condition that affects a growing number of students with severe anxiety: school avoidance.
>“It was almost like a revelation,” she told USA TODAY.
The psychiatrist basically repeated back the description of the son's behavior and called it a diagnosis (and charged money).
- dj_mc_merlin 3y agoJust speculation, but perhaps what triggered relief was understanding that their son was not alone (and thus not "weird") in his behaviour. Giving a name to it makes it sound like a real medical condition and thus something that is affecting the kid, rather than the kid being broken. IMO the name makes it seem _too much_ like a proper disorder, since the kids' actions are somewhat reasonable. If I could've gotten shot at school or had to deal with as much BS as they did, I might have not gone either. I skipped a large amount of my last year regardless since I had turned 18 and could excuse myself. Not anxiousness -- kids just don't like school.
- ec109685 3y agoThat struck me as weird too, but to be fair, once a disorder is identified then you can benefit from treatment plans that others have found success with.
- achates 3y agoShe should have at least had the decency to give it a Latin name.
- pxmpxm 3y agoCan't wait for my primary care physician to do this: Ah looks like a mild case of hurting back and runny nose.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]