How to Address Back-to-School Social Anxiety

It can be nerve-wracking to go back to school - new classmates, teachers, classrooms, schedules, and buildings can all be overwhelming, especially for children (or adults!) dealing with a learning disability. The prospect of learning a slew of different names and faces can sometimes even induce anxiety. But the impact of these novel changes can be greatly mitigated by priming the mind and body to handle change.

Identify the main causes of anxiety, and address them early. If your child’s biggest worry is remembering teachers’ names, for example, you might study their names and faces on the school’s faculty page. Or, if your child worries about getting lost in a new school, set up a tour or orientation so that they can start getting the lay of the land - and don’t be afraid to tour the grounds more than once. Creating familiarity early and gradually will help your child ease into school with less fear.

While your child becomes familiar with their new school or classroom, don’t forget to also keep up with their physical activities. Make sure they get regular aerobic exercise; this will not only help relieve stress and anxiety physiologically, but it will also improve focus and help them acclimate to their new situation faster.

And don’t forget that back to school jitters are often rooted in social anxiety. Sometimes, just having a friendly face in class is enough to make a “scary” situation seem more normal. Set up playdates for your child with both old and new classmates in order to create a sense of continuity between this year and last year and provide a safe environment for making new friends.

Although change rarely ever comes without some form of apprehension, back-to-school doesn’t have to be scary. Normalizing the new classroom environment through gradual exposure, relieving stress with cardiovascular activity, and easing the transition with friends and play will help your child take the new school year in stride.