Behavior – Active Defender

8 Helpful Tips For Dealing With Back-To-School Anxiety

Avery McKenzie — Sun, 18 Aug 2024 11:59:12 +0000

According to a study conducted by Understood.org, 87% of parents of children under 18 say the back-to-school season causes them stress and anxiety. When it comes time to start another school year, there are a lot of new experiences, teachers, classrooms, and routines that will all occur within the first week of school; it’s no wonder anxiety can bubble! We have compiled eight tips to help deal with back-to-school anxiety.

1. Establish a Routine Early

In preparation for the back-to-school routine, it can be helpful to adjust your child’s sleep and wake times a week or two before school starts to ease the transition from summer break to school time. Sleep habits like warm baths, a comfortable environment, and limiting stimulating activities before bed can aid in restful sleep.

2. Talk About It

Sometimes, all your child needs is to talk it out. According to the American Psychological Association, talking about fears can help children process and reduce their anxiety, as they feel heard and supported.

Some ways to ensure you can better handle back-to-school anxiety are to;

Be available
Actively listen
Respond thoughtfully

3. Visit The School

Back-to-School night (Open House) is an excellent opportunity to tour the school before school starts, especially if it is a new environment. A great way to alleviate the fear of the unknown is to visit all the teachers your child will be learning from and do a few practice runs of where your child’s daily schedule will take them. Have them walk their class route to gain familiarity with the school and meet classmates.

4. Focus On The Positives

Dealing with back-to-school anxiety can cause students to focus on the negative aspects of starting a new school year. Highlighting the exciting aspects of school, such as seeing friends, learning new things, or participating in fun activities, can reduce anxiety by shifting the focus from fear to anticipation.

5. Prepare Together

Getting in the groove of back-to-school can be easier if your child is included in the preparations. Activities like back-to-school shopping for school supplies, new clothes, and shoes can give them a sense of control and reduce anxiety. A fun activity to do together can be to help them pack their bookbag for their first day.

6. Practice Relaxation Techniques

When anxiety starts to fog the mind and take over, it’s important to teach and practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing and the 3-3-3 rule, which is asking your child to name three things they can see, identify three things they can hear, and move three different parts of their bodies to help them focus on reality.

7. Set Realistic Expectations

Helping your child set achievable goals for the school year reduces pressure and anxiety and encourages them to focus on learning and having fun rather than on perfection and negatives.

An example of how to set realistic expectations or goals is to use the SMART method. The SMART acronym stands for;

Specific: a clearly identified end goal that the student can measure whether they have achieved it or not.
Measurable: a tangible goal that you can track progress to ensure you achieve.
Achievable goals are possible to complete but also push you to improve; they cannot be too easy or hard.
Relevant: the short-term goal must help you complete your relevant long-term goal.
Timebound: a specific deadline is needed to mark progress and completion of the smart goal.

8. Stay Positive and Calm

Our eighth and final tip on dealing with back-to-school anxiety is to model calm and positive behavior about the upcoming school year. According to Memorial Herman, there are different strategies and methods to showcase a positive and relaxed outlook on stressors.

Incorporating these tips into your back-to-school preparations can significantly improve your child’s ability to manage anxiety. Children and parents can navigate the transition more smoothly by fostering a supportive environment, building confidence, and maintaining open communication.

Who is Active Defender?

Active Defender’s School Safety Platform revolutionizes emergency alerting and communication and provides the most comprehensive situational awareness available during a crisis. With Active Defender, ALL staff can immediately know WHAT the threat is, WHERE it is, understand WHAT TO DO, and REPORT their STATUS on a custom, dynamic campus map on their mobile device.

To learn more, visit Active Defender or take the first step in enhancing your school’s safety today by booking an interactive demo!

The Critical Role of Awareness in Combating “Gas Station Heroin”

JimBoyte — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 18:06:11 +0000

Download a PDF of the above document for your campus.

The Critical Role of Awareness in Combating “Gas Station Heroin”
In the ever-evolving landscape of public health and safety within our educational institutions, a new and alarming threat has emerged, targeting the well-being of our students. This threat, known colloquially as “Gas Station Heroin,” has rapidly gained notoriety for its accessibility and severe impact on adolescent health. As school administrators, it is imperative to empower our educators with the knowledge and tools necessary to identify changes in student behavior that may indicate substance abuse, enabling timely and positive intervention.

Understanding the Threat: Tianeptine

At the heart of this crisis is Tianeptine, a substance marketed under names like Neptune’s Elixir and ZaZa Red. Despite being sold as a dietary supplement in gas stations and online, Tianeptine is a tricyclic antidepressant not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Its appeal lies in the misleading marketing, suggesting benefits for pain, anxiety, depression, and mental alertness, and a “safer” alternative to opioids. However, the reality is starkly different.

Between June and November 2023, New Jersey reported a significant spike in illnesses related to Tianeptine, with 20 cases noting “severe clinical effects.” This is a dramatic increase from the annual average of two or fewer calls to the poison center. Such data underscores the urgency of addressing this issue head-on.

The Dangers of Tianeptine

Tianeptine’s interaction with opioid receptors can mimic the euphoria associated with heroin but comes with a high risk of tolerance, withdrawal, and toxicity. Available in various forms, including pills and powders, its accessibility in states where it remains legal poses a significant risk, especially to the youth. The misconception that legal and easily accessible substances are safe exacerbates the problem, leading to dangerous, addictive outcomes with potentially fatal consequences.

The Role of Educators

As the first line of defense in our schools, educators play a crucial role in identifying and addressing this emerging threat. Awareness and vigilance are key in noticing changes in student behavior that may signal substance abuse. Educators are uniquely positioned to observe shifts in mood, academic performance, social interactions, and physical health that may indicate a problem.

Calls for Regulation and Awareness

The FDA has issued warnings about the dangers of Tianeptine, and several states have taken legal action to ban its sale. However, the battle is far from over. The continued marketing and sale of Tianeptine-containing products highlight the need for increased regulation and public awareness. School systems, often unaware of the root causes of such substance abuse, must take proactive steps to educate staff, students, and the community about the risks associated with “Gas Station Heroin.”

Empowering Our Schools

To combat this threat effectively, schools must:

Educate Staff and Students: Implement comprehensive education programs detailing the dangers of Tianeptine and similar substances. Knowledge is power, and informed individuals are less likely to fall prey to such dangers.
Foster Open Communication: Encourage an environment where students feel safe discussing their concerns and experiences. Open dialogue can be a powerful tool in prevention.
Engage with the Community: Work with local businesses, law enforcement, and healthcare providers to address the availability and risks of Tianeptine. Community-wide efforts can amplify the impact of school-based initiatives.
Provide Support Resources: Ensure that students have access to counseling and support services for substance abuse issues. Active Defender’s system streamlines the referral process to support services, enabling early intervention and more effective support for affected students.

Conclusion

The rise of “Gas Station Heroin” underscores the evolving challenges our schools face. By integrating Active Defender’s Security System and its Behavior Change Reporting tool, educators are not just informed but empowered with real-time solutions to safeguard student well-being. It’s a collective responsibility to protect our youth from the dangers of unregulated substances. Discover how Active Defender can make a difference in your school. Together, we can create a safer, more responsive educational environment. Learn more here or call us today at 910-783-6300.

LINKS:
Fox New Report
N.C. lawmakers look into curbing ‘gas station heroin’ and other tianeptine supplements
Cleveland Clinic: Know the Dangers of ‘Gas Station Heroin’