A parent can do everything in their power to get their teen to go to school, yet their child still manages to miss class. Sometimes, school refusal is linked to teen mental health. If a teen is feeling depressed or anxious, avoiding school may be their only way to cope.
While a teen might skip certain classes because they have a personal conflict with the teacher or just don’t understand the material, avoiding school entirely may indicate a more significant problem. If your teen is struggling with school anxiety, there is help. Call Foothills at Red Oak Recovery® at 828.519.5047 to learn more about our teen mental health programs.
What Is School Anxiety?
Feeling anxious about a test or about making new friends is a typical part of the school experience. However, when anxiety makes a teen so uncomfortable that they avoid going to school regardless of the consequences, they may be suffering from an excessive fear of school or school anxiety. School anxiety may be caused by:
- Bullying
- Unrealistic expectations
- Social anxiety (severe discomfort while interacting with peers)
- Testing anxiety
- Unrelated trauma, such as divorce or death in the family
Health conditions like chronic pain or severe allergies can also leave teens feeling unsafe at school. Anxiety over what will happen if they have an allergic reaction or if the pain becomes too severe to handle can create a cycle of worry and rumination that leads to school refusal.
School Refusal Interventions
Anxiety builds on itself, and avoiding a situation that causes symptoms of anxiety can worsen them. For example, suppose that a student with test anxiety misses several exams. When they finally have to take an exam, their anxiety may have built up in the meantime and become more distressing than ever.
When your child refuses to go to school, it’s important to act quickly. Here are some school refusal interventions that might help.
Assume Your Child Is Struggling
Your teen could be defiant or misbehaving for other reasons, but assuming that they’re acting out intentionally could get in the way of resolving the problem. Instead, approach them with compassion. Help your child identify the reasons they’ve developed a fear of school.
Are they being bullied, or do they have panic attacks? Maybe your teen is terrified of public speaking, and their fear of giving an oral presentation at school started a snowball effect of school refusal. They may not recognize the reasons they feel compelled to avoid school until you give them a chance to talk it over.
Be Empathetic but Firm
Let your child know that you will help them through whatever issues they are experiencing but that school attendance is nonnegotiable. Regardless of age, people with anxiety benefit from learning how to persevere. Feelings of tension and nervousness are uncomfortable, but they’re not dangerous.
Seek Treatment
Get your child the emotional and medical help they need to overcome school-related anxiety and manage their symptoms. Programs specifically designed for young people are best for addressing the problems today’s teenagers face.
Whether the underlying issue is trauma, a learning disorder, or something else, enrolling your child in a comprehensive mental health program is the best way to identify the problem and engage in effective treatment.
Get Help for School Refusal at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery®
School refusal interventions are most effective when they are positive and compassionate, not punitive. Teens may resort to school refusal if they’re being bullied or experiencing social anxiety. If your teen is missing school, the problem could be related to their mental health.
Treatment programs like those available at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery® can help. Call Foothills at Red Oak Recovery® today at 828.519.5047 or use our online contact form to learn more about the available treatment options for teen anxiety.
