It’s back to school time for kids of all ages. But “back to school” looks very different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While some schools and colleges are open for in-person instruction, many are using completely online learning formats or a hybrid of online and in-person instruction.
Even if we weren’t in a pandemic, we know that going back to school can be stressful. Transitions can be tough both for the first-time preschooler as well as the new college freshman.
It can cause considerable stress and anxiety when navigating new schools, different peer groups, academic requirements and other challenges.
And let’s not forget that these school-related transitions are also tough for parents, even more so now as parents are thrust into the role of homeschool teachers while kids are learning through online modalities.
A particularly difficult time can be during the adolescent and teen years. This age group is at risk for depression, anxiety and in some cases, other serious mental health concerns, including self-injury, eating disorders, and substance misuse.
MHA Back to School Toolkit
To help raise awareness and to provide resources to manage these issues more effectively, Mental Health America (MHA) annually publishes a “Back to School Toolkit.”
This year, the toolkit focuses on “Coping During COVID,” recognizing that young people are experiencing more anxiety and depression related to the pandemic than any other age group. Also, students of color are at particular risk, both because of historic racial inequities and because so many of the realities of racism have surfaced again in recent months.
Let’s take a look at some of the material from the toolkit.
Key messages
Some of the key messages from the back to school toolkit include:
- As we enter a new, very uncertain academic school year, it’s important for parents, caregivers, and school personnel to know the signs that a young person is struggling with their mental health.
- Stress and anxiety can be common during the school year for students, but with the pandemic upon us, it’s even more important to pay attention to the toll isolation can take.
- Research shows that chronic loneliness—which many of us are feeling these days with stay-at-home orders and virtual learning—can translate to poor sleep, high blood pressure, greater risk of suicidal ideation, and even alcohol and drug use. Depression, anxiety, and fear can also increase.
- This year, it’s also equally important that parents, caregivers, and school personnel check in on their own mental wellbeing.
- With many teachers conducting classes remotely, and many families navigating virtual learning, parents, caregivers, and teachers need to work together to support each other and be there for students.
- For those who are physically going back to schools, the anxiety and fear is palpable—and simply navigating the uncertainty can feel overwhelming. But no one has to suffer in silence.
Handouts
A key part of the toolkit is detailed handouts on the following issues:
Handouts for Adults
- Dealing with Potential Exposure: The Stress of Physically Reopening Schools
- How to Cope with the Stress of Homeschooling
- Teachers: Protecting Your Mental Health
- Teachers and Parents: Working Together to Make Distance Learning Work
- Know the Signs: Recognizing Mental Health Concerns in Kids and Teens
Handouts for Kids and Teens
- Missing How Things Used To Be
- What Can I Do When I’m Afraid?
- How to Maintain Your Social Relationships During Online School
- Worksheet: Dealing with Tough Situations
Finding help and support
If you still feel overwhelmed, unable to cope and feel as though your stress is affecting how you function every day, you may be experiencing signs of a mental health condition.
Take a quick anonymous screen at MHAScreening.org to see if you may be at risk for conditions such as depression anxiety, PTSD, post-partum depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, or psychosis.
Once you get the screening results, MHA will provide you with more information and help you to figure out next steps. Keep in mind that these screenings can’t replace a formal assessment by a mental health professional.
Three important options to get help in the US during a mental health crisis include:
- Text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line)
- Call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
- In a life-threatening emergency, go to your local emergency room or call 911
The toolkit also includes links to many additional mental health resources for students, teachers, school administrators, parents, and everyone else.
Please take a few minutes to review these terrific resources in the MHA Back to School toolkit. I think you’ll find them very helpful, either for yourself or for someone you care about.
Here’s a question: How could you use the Back to School toolkit in your local area? Please leave a comment. Also, please subscribe to my blog and feel free to follow me on X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram, “like” my Facebook page, or connect on LinkedIn. Finally, if you enjoyed this post, please share it with a friend.