Strategies for Overcoming Post-Summer School Depression

Strategies for Overcoming Post-Summer School Depression

Supporting Children Through Back-to-School Blues

As the new school year approaches, some children and adolescents may experience feelings of anxiety or depression, often referred to as back-to-school blues. Recognizing these signs early and employing supportive strategies can help them navigate this transition with confidence and calm.

Recognizing Back-to-School Blues

Back-to-school blues can manifest in various ways, such as clinginess, restlessness, unexplained stomachaches or headaches, irritability, changes in eating or sleeping, frequent crying, difficulty concentrating, withdrawal, and persistent sadness or loss of interest in school activities [1][3][5].

Strategies for Support

1. Open and Judgement-Free Communication: Encourage your child to express worries and validate their feelings. Sharing your own experiences can help normalize anxiety [1][4].
2. Gradual Routine Reinforcement: Start adjusting bedtime, wake-up times, meal schedules, and screen time a couple of weeks before school starts to ease the transition back to structure [2][4].
3. Positive Back-to-School Rituals: Doing special activities like a dinner before school or shopping for supplies together can build excitement and a sense of control [2].
4. Monitoring Physical Symptoms and Behavioral Changes: Frequent visits to the school nurse, reluctance to separate at drop-off, repeated questions, or withdrawal signal a need for closer attention [1][5].
5. Seeking Additional Support: For persistent or severe symptoms, consult school counselors, mental health professionals, or consider therapy to address anxiety or depression [3][5].
6. Staying Connected and Involved: Regularly check in on your child’s mood, school experience, and social interactions to catch difficulties early and provide support [3].

Empowering Children

Encouraging children to exercise agency, such as choosing school supplies or extracurriculars, can help them feel empowered and manage back-to-school anxiety. Open-ended questions during conversations can provide low-pressure moments of connection and help children feel heard and seen [1][4].

Additional Resources

Our website offers up-to-date, valuable, and objective information on mental health topics to help readers make informed decisions. Research-backed articles on mental health topics are available, written by experienced mental health-wellness contributors and reviewed by clinical experts [6]. Online therapy for teens and parents is also available, offering flexible scheduling and no commutes or waiting rooms.

Reflecting on summer experiences through journaling, coloring, or creating photo collages can help children process their feelings during the back-to-school transition [7]. By recognizing these signs early and using supportive strategies, parents and caregivers can help children and teens manage back-to-school blues effectively and start the school year feeling confident and calm [1][2][3][4][5].

[1] National Association of School Psychologists. (2018). Back-to-School Blues. Retrieved from https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/back-to-school/back-to-school-blues

[2] Child Mind Institute. (2021). Back-to-School Blues: How to Help Your Child Cope. Retrieved from https://childmind.org/article/back-to-school-blues-how-to-help-your-child-cope/

[3] American Psychological Association. (2019). Back-to-School Anxiety. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/back-school-anxiety

[4] Understood. (2021). Back to School: How to Help Kids with Anxiety. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/social-emotional-skill-development/anxiety/back-to-school-how-to-help-kids-with-anxiety

[5] Mayo Clinic. (2021). Back-to-school depression in children: Symptoms, causes and how to help. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/back-to-school/art-20048352

[6] Our Website. (2022). Mental Health Articles. Retrieved from https://www.ourwebsite.com/mental-health-articles

[7] HelpGuide.org. (2021). Helping Your Child Cope with Back-to-School Anxiety. Retrieved from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/helping-your-child-cope-with-back-to-school-anxiety.htm

1. For teenagers dealing with anxiety or depression during the back-to-school period, online therapy by licensed therapists could provide a flexible and convenient avenue for healing.
2. In light of mental health concerns such as depression and anxiety, it's important to seek support from professionals who practice psychiatry or mental health.
3. With the rise in science and technological advancements, mental-health solutions like health-and-wellness platforms offering online therapy can help address the needs of young people facing emotional challenges.
4. Parents and caregivers can empower children to manage back-to-school anxiety by involving them in decisions about school supplies or extracurricular activities, fostering a sense of control and agency.
5. By staying informed on mental health topics through reliable sources like wellness websites or research-backed articles, parents can better understand their children's mental health and make informed decisions to address issues like anxiety or depression during the back-to-school transition.

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