Psychiatrist Advises on Back-to-School Season

Psychiatrist Liat Jarkon, D.O., director of the Center for Behavioral Health, appears on a News12 segment about overcoming the end-of-summer blues and beating back-to-school anxiety. According to Jarkon, more than 75 percent of students report feelings of anxiety over going back to school, with 10 percent of students formally diagnosed with anxiety. To help children settle into the new school year, Jarkon recommends parents model calm behavior, create solutions to voiced concerns, and familiarize their children with anything new that they may encounter that year.

“The causes can vary, but essentially it’s [because of] getting back to that routine—the rigidity after the summer break,” says Jarkon, who notes that anxiety can spark over academic and social worries, as well. She shares that symptoms parents should look out for include refusal to attend school, headaches, stomachaches, and reassurance-seeking behaviors.