Anxiety

Anxiety is one of the most common—and most misunderstood—experiences in school. It’s often dismissed as worry, avoidance, or overreaction, especially in children who can’t articulate what’s wrong. But anxiety isn’t just a feeling; it’s a full-body state of threat perception, shaped by nervous system sensitivity, trauma, and past experiences of being unsafe, unheard, or punished for being different.
For neurodivergent students, anxiety can be constant. It may show up as school refusal, aggression, perfectionism, meltdown, masking, or withdrawal. But rather than recognising these as signs of distress, schools often respond with behaviour plans, reinforcement systems, or increased demands—all of which intensify the child’s sense of being misunderstood or coerced.
This tag collects resources, stories, and analysis about anxiety in educational settings: how it manifests, how it’s often misread, and what it means to create truly safe learning environments. It includes writing on PDA profiles, panic responses, classroom overwhelm, and the chronic anxiety experienced by families navigating inaccessible systems.
Anxiety is not defiance. It’s not manipulation. It’s not an excuse.
It’s a call to slow down, listen, and change the environment—not the child.