Module Three

• Edginess
• Muscles are tense
• Mind going blank
• Irritability
• Problems sleeping
• Fear of going places or being alone
• Worry about speaking or reading in front of others
• New experiences are frightening
• It may be free-floating - a generalized feeling rather than attached to one fear or situation

Anxiety

We have many theories and little evidence that pushing students or forcing them helps. Instead, a sense of safety actually allows most of us to try again.

• Give time to adjust when trying a new skill or doing something worrisome
• Counseling
• Consistency and ritual with few surprises really helps
• Breathing exercises may help
• Teach self soothing
• Give the student opportunities to set a schedule that is consistent and supportive
• Use exercise to calm tension
• Utilize art, music, dance as therapy

• Pounding heart
• Shortness of breath or chest pain
• Dizziness and trembling
• Tingling sensations
• Fear of dying
• Worried about losing mind
• Feeling like "out of body" at times
• May experience nausea during attack
• Avoidance need may be so strong that school attendance is poor
• Fears need no rational basis and may include specific concerns, like germs, others coughing on them, losing a pencil, or generalized -- just things going wrong, living in a nightmare
• May be result of PTSD - post traumatic stress syndrome or disorder

Panic

This is very frightening for the student. If not handled well, the situation can spill over to other fears and activities.Do not force the student to "get over it." They do not choose it!

• Never use timed tests.
• Allow student to select a mutually agreeable peer to walk with, sit near.
• Teach self soothing, like breathing exercises, a worry stone, a key chain with a favorite stuffed animal.
• Teach calming, affirming self talk.
• Consult with doctor if family panic history exists and to reassure student of health.
• Find out what triggers the attacks and avoid the stimulus.
• Take notebook everywhere and as soon as the process begins, have student make notes of everything occurring to find triggers and change the brain flow.
• Get the student counseling support.

• Rituals appear necessary - ordering, counting, recopying, labeling
• Repetitive behaviors of mental acts
• May have difficulty being satisfied with assigned work including, writing, neatness, content
• Obsessing or looping on an idea or thought

• Try to support rather than prevent the obsession -- hand sanitizer for cleanliness, own sharpener if needs that, etc.
• Use of a computer may minimize recopying.
• This is very likely to be a bio-chemical issue and medical referral is recommended.
• Suggest and support counseling.

• Involuntary vocal sounds and tics
• Sounds include humming, grunting, coughs, clearing throat, barks, curses
• Tics may include grimacing, licking, blinking, shrugs, jerking, stretching
• Over half also have ADD/ADHD
• Much more common in boys

• View this as involuntary, like a seizure.
• Lessen pressure and allow the storm of activity to "show and blow" since holding back often makes it worse and letting it occur often results in a time of peace.
• Stimulants, like coffee, prescription meds, may help.

• Gain or loss of weight (changes in eating behavior)
• Difficulty making decisions
• Falls asleep often
• Activities are often passed on - little interest or sounds like feels no hope
• Discouraged, gives up without trying+ Doesn't seem to "think" about things
• Little energy, slow shuffling gait
• Bent shoulders, sighs, sad face
• Puts self down when addressed
• Low esteem, being and doing
• Inattention (sometimes misdiagnosed as ADD/ADHD)
• Irritability and stomach aches
• Veiled bids for attention

• Increase peer interaction.
• Give the student errands and tasks that involve higher activity level and communications with others.
• Provide service options to actively work at community organizations helping others.
• Exercise helps.
• Music, art, dance and active forms of therapy are beneficial.
• Assess, with competent support, the suicide risk, and if student states they are, get help and act as though it is possible.
• Listen by increasing positive discussion rather than whining, melodrama, pity party.
• Look for ways to refer for counseling.

• The symptoms of depression (above)alternate with extreme high energy, including:
  • excessive activity
  • poor judgment .
  • impulsive behavior
  • denial of a problem
  • grandiosity or self greatness, entitlement, messenger from 'God'
  • racing thoughts
  • little need for sleep
  • indulges self in excesses - constant shopping, talking, sexual appetite
  • loud inappropriate giggling
  • rejection of others
  • including a sense of paranoia, grudges
  • delusional thinking may exist

• This set of symptoms requires medical support, especially since the thyroid may not be functioning correctly.
• Students can thought stop and find different ways of looking at feelings or occurrences.
• Students may not realize how human they are and may try dangerous feats without recognizing the potential for getting hurt.
• Keep close check on medications, since the drug effects dull the "feel good" energy.
• If student seems to be out of touch, saying things that are worrisome, that suggests psychotic symptoms, have a contact person who can help the student on short notice.
• Counseling is essential.

• Substances usually have an odor associated with use.
• Appearance and tracking of eyes is usually altered.
• Likely to smoke and most likely to use alcohol (40%) or marijuana (17%)
• Argue about legalization, age of use, or defensive about drugs
• Often strut involvement, taunt about it
• Alteration of appearance
• Mood swings and attitude change
• Withdrawal from responsibilities
• Associate with peers who use

• Get help from the nurse, the office, the school drug officer. Step in and care.
• Assume change is possible and give the student a sense of hope, your concern, your belief that they matter.
• Avoid arguing legalization, etc. Model appropriate citizenship and restraint.
• Using correct protocol, let parents know.·
• Develop clear guidelines as a school community and help enforce them.·
• Believe the problem can be addressed and that teachers/students have power to aid.

• Does not respond well when bossed.
• Argues with adults
• Refuses to comply with requests.
• Blames others
• Vindictive
• May be aggressive
• Angry - and sends out feelings of anger or rage, especially when thwarted in any way
• Deliberately thwarts and annoys others
• Task avoidance or off-task frequently

• Use consistent structure.
• Provide effective consequences.
• Work on building trust, understanding.
• Teach conflict resolution and problem solving techniques when thwarted.
• Offer effective and inviting curriculum focused on student interests.
• Support self control and monitoring
• Give choices rather than commands.
• Model self-control and anger stopping.

• Seems to enjoy hurting the helpless, including children and animals.
• Intimidates others, including bullying
• Deceitful with intention of deceiving
• Break into homes, the school, lockers to destroy and ruin
• Serious violations of the rules
• School truancy
• Running away, breaks curfew
• Fire setting from early age
• Violates basic rights of others with no apparent feeling of sorrow or actual recognition that others have rights
• Forces sexual acts on others
• Likes and uses weapons
• Steals while confronting the victim, often with use of a weapon and physical aggression - mugging, etc.
• Presents well, but unsavory issues and behaviors emerge over time
• Often likeable at first
• Completely unable to recognize or understand another's point of view

It is true that some people do not care and do not appear to be able to learn to care. There are two exceptions that need our vigilant support -- children who have not learned to trust or bond due to early childhood experiences (and you cannot assume all is well because a family is rich, well known, in politics, or presents themselves well to the community).children who have not been taught about expectations, the needs of others, ways to care.·

• Break respect for others into practices that can be taught and teach/model them.
• Reduce frustration points and help the student learn to manage anger, irritation.
• Work to build relationship - one on one at first, showing and sharing how to see what others feel, need.
• Teach ability to read nonverbal messages.
• Teach conflict resolution skills.
• Get counseling immediately - not insight therapy, but a skilled practitioner with a long history of work with troubled youth.
• Do not leave unsupervised.

• Student mannerisms mirror other gender
• Student may profess love or affiliation with same sex teacher
• Questions about sexual identity are expressed in poetry or essays
• Student enjoys cross dressing
• Student relates belief of being gay
• Student is unhappy about sexual identity

• Suggest that student get support in making a decision.
• Provide non-judgmental place to talk, and do not suggest or detract from concerns and decisions.
• Help student recognize social limits and boundaries to avoid exhibition or "outing" self before certain of identity.
• Watch for suicidal behaviors if the student is upset about potentially being gay.