Anxiety

Below are some common symptoms associated with anxiety both at home and at school.

Home:

  • Arguing/irritability/physical aggression
  • Bedtime routine problems
  • Complaints like headaches or stomachaches
  • Difficulties with transitions
  • Excessive device use
  • Extremely high expectations of self/others
  • Refusing to go to school
  • Avoiding people, places, situations
  • Bed-wetting
  • Crying
  • Difficulty settling down for bed
  • Excessive worrying
  • Hiding
  • Withdrawal

School:

  • Disengagement in classroom activities
  • Inappropriate language toward others
  • Non-compliance
  • Poor grades and academic performance
  • Refusal to complete assigned work
  • Shouting at others
  • Hiding or running from the classroom
  • Increased nurse or counselor visits
  • Physical aggression
  • Reassurance seeking
  • School refusal (avoiding)
  • Skipping classes/school

Depression

Just like stress, feeling sad is a part of the normal human experience. Sadness is defined as feeling low/down/upset due a specific event/situation. We all experience times of sadness due to loss and our expectations not meeting reality. When sadness increases or does not go away naturally people may experience depression. Depression is a common and serious mood disorder that affects how one feels, how one thinks, and how one acts for more than two weeks. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or loss of interest in activities that usually bring one joy. Depression can also cause anger, irritability or apathy. Depression is treatable!

Just like anxiety, depression is common amongst children and adolescents, but occurs at a lower rate. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 15.7% of children aged 12-17 have had at least one episode of major depression.

The listings below show some common symptoms associated with depression both at home and at school.

Home:

  • Appetite changes, alcohol or substance use
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Difficulty with relationships
  • Homework refusal
  • Isolating from people
  • Low motivation for fun activities
  • Negative thoughts about oneself and guilt
  • Sensitivity to rejection/failure
  • Thoughts about death/suicide
  • Big emotional responses to small issues
  • Difficulty getting up for school
  • Excessive use of electronic devices
  • Irritability, agitation, anger, or hostility
  • Lack of energy and feelings of boredom
  • Low self-esteem
  • Sad mood, hopelessness, and/or despair
  • Sleeping too much or too little
  • Thinking it would be better to not be alive

School:

  • Alcohol or substance use
  • Frequent visits to counselor/nurse
  • Irritability, agitation, anger, or hostility
  • Low self-esteem
  • Poor hygiene
  • Skipping classes
  • Slowed thinking
  • Thoughts of death/suicide
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Gives up on activities easily
  • Lack/loss of friendships
  • Poor grades and work completion
  • School absences and refusal
  • Sleeping in class
  • Tardiness to school
  • Withdrawal from activities and sports

The Bellevue School District acknowledges that we learn, work, live and gather on the Indigenous Land of the Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Duwamish and Snoqualmie Tribes. We thank these caretakers of this land, who have lived and continue to live here, since time immemorial.