School settings are high-stress work environments, especially today. With fears of violence in schools and staff shortages affecting many schools across the nation, it is not surprising to know that mental well-being in schools is on the decline, for both students and employees. If you’re a school administrator and see signs of anxiety, depression or substance abuse among teachers, you can help them find treatment.
Water Gap Wellness Center is a mental health treatment center in Pennsylvania that can help. Contact us today to learn more.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a mental disorder characterized by feelings of worry, fear, and uneasiness. Due to how anxiety can disrupt a person’s life, if left untreated, anxiety can lead to depression or other mental health symptoms.
With severe anxiety, many people simulate terrible events in their minds, visualize conflicting circumstances, and have internal monologues. This can be quite unsettling in professional settings.
Occasional anxiousness is a normal part of life, and given the circumstances of the last two years, it is very reasonable to feel this way.
However, severe, excessive, persistent worry and panic over commonplace circumstances are typically experienced by those with anxiety disorders. They can peak within minutes and cause a panic attack if the anxiety disorders involve recurrent episodes of severe anxiety, fear, or terror.
In a school setting, the signs of anxiety may include avoiding social interactions with colleagues, increased irritability with co-workers or students, loss of interest in work, constant worrying or a sense of perfectionism.
It’s important for teachers to know when they’re experiencing symptoms of anxiety so they can get help before the problem gets worse or causes other issues in the classroom.
Depression
Depression is a common mental health issue that affects the way you feel, think, and behave. It’s also important to know that depression isn’t your fault–it’s not something you did or didn’t do to cause it; it’s just something that happens in your brain chemistry as a result of chemical imbalances in your body.
The possibility of burnout is one of the causes of teacher depression. Burnout is a type of psychological distress that develops when a person feels overworked, undervalued, and unable to handle the demands and expectations of the workplace. Typical indications of burnout include tiredness, increased rates of absence, irritable mood, a decrease in job performance or lack of concern for job duties, and trouble focusing. Anyone can face burnout in their job, and due to the stress of working within schools and the staff shortages many schools are facing, teachers, bus drivers, and school administrators may be especially prone.
Substance abuse
Signs of substance abuse include a change in behavior, such as increased irritability or anxiety. Teachers may become more withdrawn and quiet, or they may start acting out. The teacher might also be more aggressive toward others, including students and colleagues.
Physical signs like dilated pupils and slurred speech may indicate the teacher has been using drugs or alcohol during school hours. This can be incredibly dangerous for school professionals who have been placed in charge of watching over children.
What to Do If You Recognize Problematic Behavior in School Employees?
If you’re a school administrator and see signs of anxiety, depression or substance abuse among teachers, you can help them find treatment. For example:
If a teacher seems to be having trouble getting through the day without crying or has lost interest in their work, it could be due to depression. If they drink too much coffee every day and seem “on edge,” it could signal an anxiety problem (or even bipolar disorder).
How Water Gap Wellness Center Can Help
If you’re a school administrator and see signs of anxiety, depression or substance abuse among teachers, you can help them find treatment. The first step is to recognize that these problems exist in your district and get educated on how they affect students and staff. Next, ensure all staff members know where they can go for help if they need it–and follow up with them if they don’t use this resource!
Water Gap Wellness Center is an outpatient mental health treatment center near New Jersey that can help with mental health or substance abuse issues affecting school employees. With our cutting-edge programming, we at Water Gap Wellness Center are redefining mental health and drug misuse treatment in the Tri-State region and beyond. Don’t put off finding your unique route to healing and recovery any longer. If you or a loved one work in a school setting and are struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues, contact us today and learn more about how our treatment center can help.
