Photo courtesy of sophomore Karl Karsh.

  Returning to San Luis Obispo High School (SLOHS) could be a big trigger for someone’s anxiety. Before COVID-19, one in three adolescents were said to meet the criteria for an anxiety disorder by the age of 18. COVID-19 has caused many people to be much more anxious when going outside of their homes, as social interactions are more challenging than they used to be.

  Students are back to in-person school, meaning they have to deal with the stress of being around many of their peers.

“Before quarantine, I often struggled with social interaction and it was normal for me to get anxious,” says sophomore Kyle Platte. “But coming out of quarantine, it seemed to get much more difficult and intimidating because I wasn’t used to talking to people anymore. Because of it being unfamiliar, I often had difficulty articulating myself to make sense and regulating my emotions was much more difficult.”

  Along with students, staff are also back to in-person school.

“Every year before school starts, I get really anxious,” said English teacher Scott Nairne. “The first class of the morning is the worst. I get so nervous, I just want to throw up. This year was no different.” 

  Since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, forty-six percent of parents say their teen has shown signs of a new or worsening mental health condition. The parents themselves have been struggling as well. During the pandemic, four in ten adults in the U.S. have reported symptoms of anxiety or a depressive disorder. 

  At SLOHS, a good resource to work through anxiety is the school counselors. Though they cannot cure students’ anxiety, talking to a counselor can alleviate loads of stress and anxiety a student may be experiencing.

As for staff on campus, it’s good to know that insurance covers counseling services. If a staff member needs to talk to someone, there is always a good, cost free opportunity. 

If you want to learn more about our counseling department, go to https://sites.google.com/slcusd.org/slohscounseling/home

Sources: Health.net