Carson City Juvenile Services addresses concerns about student anxiety

Carson City Juvenile Services hosted a parent engagement evening Tuesday at the Carson City Community Center to discuss the root cause of youth anxiety and appropriate responses.

Youth care employees give monthly presentations on topics that affect the health of teenagers. The goal is to prevent criminal behavior that leads to arrests or reduce recidivism if they are already in the juvenile justice system.

“We all have experience working with children and families,” says Stephanie Bellusa, a mental health counselor and doctor of psychology at CCJS. “But you are all the experts on your children and you know them best and you know when things are not right with them.”

Mayela Quintanilla of CCJS, LMSW, child welfare specialist, suggested that a discussion with parents would be helpful, as most have different definitions of what anxiety is, which is medically diagnosed excessive worry over six months or more, more days than not, Bellusa said. Anxiety, which takes care of the cognitive, somatic, emotional and behavioral aspects that come together to create an uncomfortable state, can occur without specific triggers, Bellusa said, and is often difficult for a child to identify on their own. It can also happen while anticipating something that could happen in the future, because a person “overprepares” to deal with an event that hasn’t happened, she said.

A person may also experience separation anxiety disorder, which occurs in younger or older children in middle school.

Bellusa said it’s important to watch for symptoms, including a student experiencing excessive anxiety or worry for more than six months; disturbances, isolation, feeling restless or fidgeting, difficulty concentrating, becoming easily frustrated or angry, experiencing sleep disorders and the like.

Children can also experience social disorders. They may be afraid of being judged in public or suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder after a traumatic event and the individual starts thinking about it and it keeps them stuck, Bellusa said. In panic disorders, the anxiety causes symptoms of a racing heart, hyperventilation, sweaty hands and phobias, such as fear of spiders.

There are helpful techniques for approaching a loved one experiencing anxiety, Quintanilla and Bellusa said, before seeing a therapist, although consulting a professional may be necessary. Trying to change someone’s outlook to help the child learn that they can control their environment can have a positive effect, Bellusa said.

“I worked with someone who was being bullied and we changed the way (that child) thought about the bullying,” she said. “It was, ‘Maybe that kid has something going on at home and they’re taking it out on you,’ and this bullying still happened, but now they felt like they had a voice to tell the teacher, and they were not afraid and would involve other people. The situation didn’t change, but the way they thought about it did.”

The family might try relaxation techniques with calming music, deep breathing exercises, and perhaps avoiding technology for a short time.

“It’s hard to cut yourself off from the world,” Quintanilla said. “But sometimes the phone is relaxation, so it’s about finding that balance.”

Bellusa led a mobile crisis response team in Reno, helping treat children in crisis for anxiety, suicidal ideation or homicide, as well as making recommendations and providing treatment, she said.

Parents in the room offered suggestions such as taking a walk, listening to audiobooks, practicing yoga or meditation or other hobbies as a means of relaxation. But whatever they liked, Quintanilla and Bellusa said it’s important to have a family plan and conversations to avoid outbursts at home or at school.

This year, the need for anxiety help has increased and families seem especially attuned to it, they said.

“I know it might be even more salient now because of what’s going on in the schools with potential threats and things like that,” she told parents Tuesday. “Children may be nervous when they go to school. You may all be nervous about sending them to school.”

Bellusa said it’s important to be compassionate and try to understand the child’s feelings from their point of view.

“You may not understand it, but they’re clearly going through it, so as much as you can meet them where they are, whether you think this is legitimate or not, it’s the way they’re feeling, and if you changing the way you respond helps them,” she said.