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Doctors share tips on how to combat back-to-school anxiety as the new school year approaches
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BATON ROUGE — With just days left until the start of the new school year, many students may begin feeling anxious.
Dr. Courtney Gunn from Ochsner Health joined WBRZ to share some tips on overcoming back-to-school anxiety.
Gunn shared that many students get nervous at the beginning of the new school year due to change.
"You're changing your routine, you're changing your school, maybe. New teachers, new friends, thinking about your grades and things," Dr. Gunn said. "Having to adjust from being in the fun of the summer and going back to that structured school environment can make people a little bit nervous."
Signs of anxiousness that parents should be on the lookout for include students having stomach aches, headaches or trying to avoid going to school altogether.
According to Dr. Gunn, the difference between first day jitters and more serious anxiety is usually the duration.
"The first couple weeks of school, you're feeling a little nervous, you're still adjusting; that's one thing," she said. "But if you start noticing that they're continuing to feel nervous, that the intensity of the nervousness is ... increasing with time... that's when you need to start thinking that we need to get some help here."
Dr. Gunn also shared that parents' nervousness can transition to children.
"Don't ruminate and think about all the things that you're worried about yourself and project it on your kid."
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