Micro-Skills for Schools: Action Steps for Anxiety, Phobias, and Panic Attacks (PDF Download)

Description

Action Steps to Take When You Recognize Anxiety, Phobias (fears), and Panic Attacks can help educate students about how to recognize signs and symptoms in themselves; understand what exists in their environment; find coping strategies; provide a safe place to talk; advocate for students to visit a mental health professional.

The action steps include:

1. Give students information about sources of help such as school- based counseling, crisis lines, or community based providers;
2. Pay attention to any physiological reactions that displays anxiety and connect with the student (i.e. face flushing, dilation of eyes, sweating, hand tremors, very quiet, no eye contact, restless);
3. Modify the environment to be more supportive (i.e allow students with performance anxiety to sit in back of room);
4. Provide a safe place and a safe person in the school building to go to when a student is feeling overwhelmed;
5. Remove items or situations that may cause phobias in students;
6. Teach relaxation techniques to help calm some of the intense feelings (deep breathing);
7. Help students create their own calming/coping toolbox (i.e stress balls, piece of tactile fabric, smooth stone, scented play dough, chewing gum, bottle of bubbles, relaxing music, photo/message, relaxation prompt cards/positive affirmation cards),
8. Always model calmness and self-control for your students;
9. Help students use distraction techniques (i.e. thinking of their favorite things like being with their pet, walking on a beach, eating their favorite food, listening to birds, squeezing something, counting to 100 slowly, counting backwards, counting your breaths, exercising, yoga, reading, journaling, doing a puzzle, taking a walk);
10. If unable to talk, be the supportive adult in their life who cares about them (i.e. regular check-ins, sitting with student quietly, do not force the conversation);
11. Allow for flexible deadlines, choice, assure there are no surprises

This resource is part of the Anxiety series of Early Intervention resources developed by Miami University’s Center for School-Based Mental Health Programs (CSBMHP) and the Ohio Mental Health Network for School Success (OMHNSS) as part of the Early Intervention Initiative (funded by the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, grant #2200368, https://mha.ohio.gov/).