INNER OAK THERAPY
  • Home
  • Who We Serve
  • About
    • Rhonda King
    • Kristin Henderson
    • Angela Teekah
    • Sabrina Jagosh
    • Lisa Brandon
  • Services
    • Child Therapy Burlington Ontario
    • Adolescent Counselling Burlington Ontario
    • Burlington Adult Therapy
    • Parent Therapy Burlington Ontario
    • Burlington Family Counselling
    • Burlington Individual Therapy
    • Couples Therapy Burlington
    • Mental Health Therapy Burlington
    • Burlington Anxiety Therapy
    • Depression Therapy Burlington Ontario
    • Burlington PTSD Counselling
    • Burlington ADHD Therapy Services
    • Borderline Personality Disorder Therapy Burlington
  • Contact
  • Book Now
  • Blog

OUR BLOG

Ways to Manage School Anxiety

9/26/2022

0 Comments

 
Ways to Manage School Anxiety
High Focus Centers

​With the start of October next week, several students may be experiencing increased levels of stress due to impending midterms, class assignments, and a heavy workload. However, for some students, intense stress about school is their baseline. If that is the case, their feelings about school may be indicative of a more serious condition: school anxiety. 

What is School Anxiety?
School anxiety is a condition that can affect any student. It typically manifests itself as excessive fear of school. In addition, students with school anxiety may also experience feelings of unease for school-related activities such as making friends, taking tests, or public speaking. 

Though it is common, school anxiety (aka school refusal) is not officially recognized as a mental health diagnosis. Rather, it is associated as a symptom for other diagnoses such as depression, separation anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and others. 
​

For more information, visit Medical News Today.
Stress vs Anxiety
Stress vs AnxietyStress and anxiety have several overlapping symptoms including a faster heartbeat and faster breathing. As such, it can be easy to confuse one for the other. Here are key elements that can help one differentiate between stress and anxiety. 

Stress

· short term
· external response to a specific, identifiable trigger 

Anxiety

· can linger [often a lifelong diagnosis]
· internal response meaning there may not be a specific trigger 

Plus, the feelings that accompany stress differ from those of an anxiety episode. Firstly, stress often leads to moodiness, irritability, or anger. Meanwhile, anxiety is characterized as an intense feeling of unease or dread. Secondly, stress may be accompanied by loneliness and unhappiness. On the other hand, anxiety is typically accompanied by restlessness and nervousness. 


​Nevertheless, it is important to note that stress may develop into anxiety. After all, one symptom of stress is having anxious thoughts. 
​
Symptoms of School Anxiety
Amelia Virtual Care

Symptoms of School Anxiety
While school anxiety is recognized as excessive fear of school and its related activities, that fear can manifest itself in several different ways. In fact, school anxiety symptoms can be broken down into 3 main categories: physical, emotional, and behavioural symptoms.  

Physical Symptoms

· Stomachaches / Headaches
· Gastrointestinal (GI) Problems
· Excessive Sweating
· etc … 

Emotional Symptoms

· Shame / Embarrassment 
· Excessive Worry or Panic 
· Constant Feeling of Impending Danger
· etc … 

Behavioural Symptoms

· Refusing to Attend Class
· Having Temper Tantrums 
· Difficulty Concentrating
· etc … 

​For more information, visit the following websites: 

1) Medical News Today
2) Mayo Clinic - Anxiety Disorders
3) Anxiety Canada
Tips for Coping With Anxiety
​JR Bee (Verywell)

Ways to Manage School AnxietyIf you suspect yourself or someone you know may be suffering from school anxiety, here are some ways to help manage it. 

Individual/Group Techniques
1. Deep Breathing
a. When one is feeling anxious, both their heartbeat and breathing tend to quicken. By practicing deep, full-bodied breaths, one can help slow down their mind which reduces anxiety levels. For beginners, start with taking in one breath for 5 seconds then letting it out slowly over 5 seconds. 

2. Enjoy the Outdoors
a. Taking a break can allow one to escape anxious thoughts. Plus, being out in nature has proven to help calm minds. Finally, being surrounded by the outdoors can help one engage in mindfulness activities [like grounding] as it provides several stimuli for different senses. 

​3. Journaling
a. Allocating time to reflect on one’s day can help alleviate anxiety. To further help manage anxiety, it is recommended that one focus on positive thoughts and moments when journaling. These positive thoughts can help derail anxiety and its accompanying negative feelings. 

4. Exercise
a. Several studies have proven the effectiveness of exercise to manage mental health disorders. This is because exercise releases endorphins which promote pleasure. Plus, regular exercise helps one relax and improves one’s overall mood which can further lower symptoms of anxiety.  

5. Reaching Out
a. Having a proper support system of friends and family is a crucial component of managing any disorder, including school anxiety. It is also important for one to openly discuss their anxiety with their support system. For school anxiety, it is also beneficial for one’s support system to include teachers. 

Classroom Techniques
1. Accommodations
a. If possible, look into possible accommodations to help alleviate school anxiety. Accommodations can include: extra time for tests/assignments, alternatives to class discussions, cue cards/cheat sheets, and others. Discuss what accommodations would work best for you with your teachers to ensure your academic success. 

2. Daily Mood Check-Ins
a. If possible, create colour-coded mood cards that students can place on their desks at the start of the school day. Have one colour (eg. orange) signify the student needs a check-in with the teacher. This can help provide a safe space wherein the student feels comfortable addressing their anxious thoughts of the day (eg. feeling nervous about a pop quiz). 

​3. Comfort Spaces
a. If possible, create a safe space within the classroom for students to easily access helpful tools. The safe space should include healthy snacks since proper nutrition helps a student better manage overwhelming/anxious situations. In addition, the safe space can also include fidgets such as stress balls, marble fidgets, small pop-its, etc. 
b. When possible, allow students to use the safe space during breaks to help regulate emotions. In addition, if the safe space includes a mat or bean bag chair, it can be used for naps and proper sleep also helps manage anxiety. 

Support
​
If you are experiencing school anxiety and are seeking professional help, consider booking a consultation with Inner Oak Therapy. We offer the following beneficial services: Child/Adolescent Therapy, Individual Therapy, and Group Therapy. In addition, Inner Oak offers Parent & Family Therapy - this service could help parents develop the interpersonal & communication skills needed to help their child manage school anxiety.

Author

Written by Gabrielle Bulman Thomas
​September 26, 2022  

SHARE THIS POST:
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022

    Categories

    All
    ADHD
    Anxiety
    Attunement
    Autism
    BPD
    Children
    Coping Strategies
    Depression
    Emotional Dysregulation
    Emotions
    Mental Health
    Parenting
    School
    Self Care
    Self-Regulation
    Sleep
    Social Anxiety
    Stress
    Therapy
    Treatment
    Wellness

    RSS Feed

HOME

Who we serve

about

Services

Contact

Book Now

Blog


Privacy policy

Terms and Conditions

professional therapy in burlington

3-4300 UPPER MIDDLE ROAD, BURLINGTON, ON L7M 4P6

(289) 208-4482

HOURS
​Of operation

Monday to Friday 9am - 9pm
(By appointment)
​
Weekend Availability
​(By 
appointment)

Copyright © 2023   |   Inner Oak Therapy   |   All Rights Reserved
Niagara Web Design Services by Target Digital Marketing
  • Home
  • Who We Serve
  • About
    • Rhonda King
    • Kristin Henderson
    • Angela Teekah
    • Sabrina Jagosh
    • Lisa Brandon
  • Services
    • Child Therapy Burlington Ontario
    • Adolescent Counselling Burlington Ontario
    • Burlington Adult Therapy
    • Parent Therapy Burlington Ontario
    • Burlington Family Counselling
    • Burlington Individual Therapy
    • Couples Therapy Burlington
    • Mental Health Therapy Burlington
    • Burlington Anxiety Therapy
    • Depression Therapy Burlington Ontario
    • Burlington PTSD Counselling
    • Burlington ADHD Therapy Services
    • Borderline Personality Disorder Therapy Burlington
  • Contact
  • Book Now
  • Blog