Casey-Jane battles with severe anxiety and is supported by us. Here, she shares how she's facing her fears to give young people like her a voice
"I first got involved with Barnardo’s Cymru Resilient Families when my anxiety became really bad about three years ago when I moved to secondary school. I had to meet a lot of new people. I always found that difficult, but with my added anxiety it was so much worse.
People think anxiety is just about feeling worried - I’d describe it as if my brain has a remote button that controls everything, I never know when it's going to trigger, or how bad it will be. I start shaking really badly, sometimes I start sweating and sometimes my speech becomes slurred.
I understand my anxiety more now - I can recognise the signs and it’s kind of normal for me now.
What happened
I was physically bullied from Year 1 or 2 and had to move school. That was difficult because it also meant I had to leave all the children I had grown up with and my new school felt like a desert island. That was when the anxiety really kicked in for the first time.
I was always on edge and constantly looking around. I didn’t know it was anxiety until I reached crisis point. I was verbally and physically bullied at my second school, pushed around and bruised quite badly. There was a friendship group of about eight children who would bully me. It was a lot to deal with and I suffered from nightmares.
It was happening probably two days a week and I was going home with bruises, scratches and cuts. My mum went to the school and after that the teachers kept an eye on me and tried to keep me away from it.
Luckily I moved to a different secondary school to the bullies, it was a big plus that none of them followed me. I was able to have a fresh start.
I was doing really well but then I started having family problems. People found out and when my parents split up I became a bullying target.
Fortunately as I’ve gone higher up the school everyone has started focussing on work more. I’ve been able to choose the creative subjects I’m interested in, music, graphic design and textiles where the classes are small.
My Barnardo’s worker visited me at home which was good, she was a great support. She taught me breathing exercises and how to cope with attacks. She was there to help me with anything and everything and I had so much fun looking forward to the future with her.
Speaking out
I’ve now been elected to the first Welsh Youth Parliament as a Barnardo’s representative and it has been really good even though I was really nervous before making my first speech.
Both my CAHMS worker and my Barnardo’s worker suggested it and I thought, ‘Why not?’ It’s a question I use a lot when I have anxiety and it’s difficult to think positively. It pushes me out of my comfort zone.
I knew I would have some panic attacks but I wanted to do it anyway. I wanted to give other young people like me a voice.
Casey-Jane
Welsh Youth Parliament member
People in school have been very positive, they’ve been intrigued by me standing for election. It has been great getting to know the other members of the Parliament, sitting in the chamber and listening to other speakers. We all feel connected.
Tackling the stigma
People are starting to realise that young people have something to say and know what they are talking about. I want to raise awareness about young people’s mental health. Anxiety is a big thing for them and it can trigger physical symptoms too. Not many people talk about mental health but we need to.
When I was at my worst I felt singled out and treated differently yet at the same time I felt no one could see me, it was weird. I was frightened and confused. Before I got help from Barnardo’s and CAHMS there were times when I didn’t want to keep going, I wanted to give up.
There are a lot of other people in that place, thinking, ‘Am I not supposed to be here?’ It is important young people don’t feel they are on their own. They are meant to be here, there’s a reason for it.
Different pressures
The people who build school structures don’t understand what it’s like to be a student in school today with everything changing. Something that might seem petty could cost someone their life. Schools have a responsibility, there needs to be support and the training for teachers needs to be more effective, it’s no good just telling a pupil to go off and make friends.
Social media is everywhere now and it has become everything to some young people. I know someone who has an eating disorder because of things said to her on social media, people said she didn’t look good. Adults haven’t experienced that sort of pressure but we are growing up with it. Social media has become compulsory, if you don’t have it you are an outcast, it’s quite scary.
Constant testing in schools is also an issue for people like me who can’t cope with being in an exam room with 100 other people. I need to be able to get up and walk around, take a stress ball in with me, listen to music. The school system needs to grow and to change because it hasn’t changed like the world around it.
For me the most immediate issues facing young people today are around their mental health and social wellbeing."