Students with severe anxiety or depression disorders may experience severe emotional disturbance (SED). Anxiety in students who are gifted might manifest in the following ways:

• undue worry, fear, or distress about performance, such as fear of failure

• dread or avoidance of situations that might trigger fear or embarrassment

• avoiding challenge

• low frustration tolerance

• irritability, outbursts, or disruptive behavior

• complaining of and/or experiencing minor health issues, such as headaches, stomachaches, dizziness, etc.

• problems with concentration or memory

• struggles with changing sleep patterns or decreasing appetite

• self sabotage

• social withdrawal

Depression in students who are gifted might manifest in the following ways:

• increased irritability, sulkiness, rudeness, or anger (more common in boys or older children)

• clinging to parent and worrying that parent might die (more common in younger children)

• becoming quiet and withdrawn (more common in girls)

• feelings of worthlessness

• frequent complaints of physical illnesses, such as headaches or stomachaches

• difficulty sleeping

• changing eating habits

• trouble concentrating or making decisions

• increasing absences, discipline problems, and/or refusal to go to school

• difficulty with family relationships