How to Manage Back to School Anxiety: A Teenager's Perspective

By: Molly Maguire, 10th grade student in Southern Maryland

As the back-to-school season approaches, I always catch myself feeling anxious. The anxiety could be due to sport tryouts, wondering whether I have classes with friends, or even just general anxiety about a new school year. I have also experienced this feeling of anxiety due to starting a new year at a brand-new school. Growing up as an “Air Force Brat” comes with a lot of challenges, and one of those is the constant moving and starting over at new schools.

In my fifteen (long) years of living, I have been a student at six different schools, meaning I have had to make brand new friends six times at a variety of ages. Trust me, if anyone knows about being anxious to make new friends, it’s me. I have also noticed that I tend to ignore or distract myself from these anxious back-to-school nerves through sports and keeping myself busy. Does it work? Sometimes. Is it the best choice? No, not really.

I have learned that talking to someone as simple as my mom, or a professional (like a therapist) really helps. If talking to a parent or therapist doesn’t seem like an option, here are some others:

Personally, when I am starting at a new school or when it is back-to-school season, I do some research. Basically, I get all the information I can on the school. For example: a map of the school, or how to sign up for tryouts. Doing this can help reduce my anxiety on what I like to call the “unknown.”

The “unknown” is what freaks me out about the back-to-school season because I simply just don’t know all the information I think I may need for a successful start. If you are like me, you tend to over-prepare, and trust me, there’s nothing wrong with that… but stressing and getting very anxious for the back-to-school season is not very healthy.

So, to help mitigate these anxious feelings, we can figure out what’s in our control and get the information we need. I also have to remind myself that it’s the first day of school for everyone, so I won’t be alone.

Another thing you can do is talk to someone trusted. If there is a reason your not able to take the professional route and talk to a therapist, just talking with friends, guardians, or siblings may help. One thing I like to do is Facetime my friends the night before the first day of school, and they help me realize I’m not the only one who is anxious, and sometimes they even make me excited (which is crazy consider going back to school isn’t a typical fifteen year olds favorite thing.)

I have also noticed a trend when talking to someone older (someone who has been through it before, and had those same anxious feelings). They will tell you the same thing: you are not alone! No one is alone in experiencing the first day of school or the back-to-school season… I mean, you're literally going into a building with hundreds to thousands of other anxious teenagers, what could go wrong?

I’m mostly joking around, but to be serious, you really are not alone. Everyone isn’t going to automatically know where their classes are, or where tryouts or practice are. Everyone (even the people who don’t show it) has some level of uncertainty about everything that is going on during back-to-school.

So, if you find yourself feeling anxious or even stressed during back-to-school season, take a deep breath and just remember you’re not alone. Everyone else is trying to figure it out too, so do what you can to try and help calm those nerves.

If you decide that speaking with a professional could be helpful, and you are a resident of Southern Maryland, appointments at Hope and Healing Therapy and Wellness are available! To schedule an appointment, give us a call at (301) 690-8404 or check out our website at www.hopehealingtherapy.com.

Understanding the What, Who, and How of PTSD

By Jennifer Voorhaar, LCSW-C

From the time I was a child until now, between my father (US Army Vet. Retired) and my husband (US Navy Vet), there have always been movies and documentaries about the various war/conflicts in which our country has participated. As a trauma therapist, watching these movies/shows provides me with some historical and some fictional information about the experiences of our military service men and women. What has always fascinated me about the conflicts of long ago is that there was no knowledge or recognition of the impact these experiences had on the servicemember. If someone returned home with drug or alcohol issues, depression or anxiety, anger or aggression it was considered "shell shock" during WWI, "combat shock" or "combat fatigue" during WWII, "Post Vietnam Syndrome" or "Gulf War Syndrome" after the respective conflicts. It wasn't until early 1980's that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was officially added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and recognized for the impact that it had on our service men and women. 

Since 1980, the research around PTSD has grown substantially and we now recognize that it is not just combat experiences that cause PTSD symptoms.  The awareness has grown so much that June is considered National PTSD awareness month with June 27th as PTSD awareness Day. PTSD Awareness Day was created in 2010 in a tribute to Staff Sergeant Joe Biel who died by suicide after suffering from PTSD following two tours in Iraq. Today is SSgt. Biel's birthday and a day we can focus our attention on the importance of awareness, prevention and intervention. 

Today and everyday, it is important to understand the impact our experiences have on us as well as those around us. The first step of awareness is understanding what PTSD is, who can be impacted and how to find appropriate treatment. This all starts with talking about it.  All too often we brush things under the rug that we want to ignore or wish away, but all it does is pile up for an explosion later.

So let's start with what is PTSD?  PTSD is a collection of symptoms that occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic experience. It is important to understand that these experiences are very individualized but all include threats of or actual harm to oneself or others, experiencing or witnessing the injury or death of another person as well as sexual violence. These are broad categories due to the individualized nature of the experiences and later coping. If after a traumatic event the following symptoms persist, someone might consider an evaluation and treatment for PTSD.  Symptoms include varying degrees of irritability, depression and suicidal feelings, hypervigilance, hyperarousal, flashbacks, nightmares, persistent memories, intrusive thoughts as well as significant impacts on sleeping, eating, relationships, occupation and social interactions. 

Understanding that PTSD develops after a traumatic experience and that the experience can be very individualized, it now becomes important to understand who can be impacted by PTSD.  The short answer is all of us!  That's right, I bet as you read this you can think of at least one person you know who has been impacted by PTSD.  Maybe it is yourself, a loved one, co-worker or friend, but we are all impacted and know someone who has been impacted by the effects of traumatic experiences. Since traumatic experiences impact everyone differently, it is important to  know that not everyone who experiences trauma will develop PTSD.  According to veteran.com, some sources estimate that close to 70% of Americans have experienced a traumatic event significant enough to cause PTSD or it's symptoms.  This does not mean that 70% of us have PTSD but that means more than 224 millions Americans have experienced a traumatic event in their life; some more than one. Of those 224 million Americans, 20% will develop PTSD.  That is 44 million Americans living with PTSD symptoms. This shows the importance of understanding, awareness, prevention and intervention. While we cannot always prevent a traumatic experience, we can respond the best way we know how.

This leads us to how to find appropriate treatment. The first step in this is accepting and understanding the need for treatment. If you were in a car accident and broke a bone, you wouldn't think twice about going to the hospital, getting the bone set, wearing a cast and maybe even going to physical therapy afterwards. You'd likely tell the story a couple of times and share with others.  But, it is not very often that someone is in a car accident and develops PTSD then seeks the necessary treatment, stabilization and ongoing therapy needed to treat this medical condition.  Let me repeat that:  PTSD is a medical condition and finding the appropriate treatment is paramount in the healing process of the trauma survivor. Remember, PTSD is a specific medical condition that requires specialized treatment. Cardiologists treat heart conditions.  Pulmonologists treat respiratory conditions.  Trauma Therapists treat PTSD.  Engaging in an Evidenced Based trauma treatment is critical to the treatment process. When researching and finding a therapist, look for interventions such as Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD, EMDR; to name a few.

Now, you may be asking yourself, what about if I know someone who is struggling with PTSD?  You can provide support, understanding, care and compassion.  You can share services and resources with them.  You can receive your own therapeutic support to learn tools, tricks and tips for helping and supporting that person in your life.  Remember, we are all impacted in some way and we can all work together. 

While Hope and Healing is not the only provider of trauma care in Southern Maryland, we pride ourselves in having the most current training, most effective interventions and the most compassionate staff to provide the specific care needed to assess, intervene and treat PTSD. Use today, June 27th, PTSD Awareness Day to consider how you can support yourself or someone you love who is struggling with the effects of PTSD symptoms.   And, be sure that you follow our socials and receive our newsletter for important upcoming information about workshops and special events for trauma survivors and their loved ones.

For more information about PTSD:

www.ptsd.va.gov as well as www.veteran.com both provide information for Veterans and their family members. 

www.firstrespondersfirst.com as well as www.helpforourheros.com both for first responders and their family members. 

www.nami.org provides information for family members.

www.ptsdalliance.org 

www.nctsn.org for information specific to trauma and children.

Seeing, Supporting, and Safeguarding Our LGBTQIA+ Community

Written By: Leslie Wells

Hope and Healing recognizes the many burdensome challenges faced by our LGBTQIA+ community members when seeking adequate healthcare, resources, and community support. We also recognize the fatal impact that these barriers are making on the health and well being of LGBTQIA+ individuals, specifically among young people.

Key findings from The Trevor Project’s 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health include the following statistics: 

—45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.

—LGBTQ youth who felt high social support from their family reported attempting suicide at less than half the rate of those who felt low or moderate social support.

—60% of LGBTQ youth who wanted mental health care in the past year were not able to get it.

—LGBTQ youth who live in a community that is accepting of LGBTQ people reported significantly lower rates of attempting suicide than those who do not.

In an effort to reduce the aforementioned barriers and increase accessibility to mental health and wellness approaches that meet the needs of each part of every individual, we have compiled a list of online resources that speak specifically to these issues:

PFLAG Southern Maryland—

PFLAG offers support, resources, and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ and their loved ones, including faith-based support, support for military families with LGBTQIA+ children and teens, and more. 

https://www.pflagsomd.org/

The Trevor Project—

Read blogs about topics such as the complexities of lesbian visibility, the trans/non-binary umbrella, and how to have safe, and supportive discussions about suicide with our LGBTQIA+ loved ones.

https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

Lighthouse—

Lighthouse publishes original content on a weekly basis from top LGBTQIA+ doctors and therapists. Subscribe to their newsletter for regular updates, or utilize the website to search for primary care, therapists, psychiatrists, and more health care providers specializing in LGBTQIA+ health issues. 

https://www.lighthouse.lgbt/

National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center— 

Read tips for coming out and communicating clearly with health care providers regarding health issues related to or affected by sexual orientation. 

https://www.lgbtqiahealtheducation.org/publication/dadt-lqbtq-youth/

Please share these resources freely and often. We witness how small efforts can sometimes make the greatest differences on a daily basis, and believe that everyone is worthy of health, hope, and healing.