Homeopathic Support for Back to School Anxiety

Back to school time can be stressful for many kids, due to a new school, a new teacher, getting up in the morning and a new routine, concerns about doing well, and more. Homeopathy has a few tools in the toolbox that can help! This post is for parents of school age kids that could benefit from some natural, holistic, and side-effect free assistance with the back to school transition.

Below are a few remedies that can help for short term support related to a specific big-deal event. Remember that, if your child’s anxiety is deeper than transitional, please reach out - homeopathy can help with things that have gotten “stuck” on a deeper level.

Gelsemium - for anxiety before an event - this is a good “first” remedy for a child with anticipatory anxiety before the first day of school, or a big test, a presentation, or performance of any kind. A child that could benefit from Gelsemium is typically nervous, excitable, and sensitive. When anxious, they may feel timid with a desire to be quiet, shake, tremble, show some type of physical weakness or collapse, or even wet their pants.

Aconite - for fright - this remedy is for when there is true fear about going to school, including panic level fear. This can look like panic attacks, with pure panic and being in a fight/flight state. They may be restless and unable to sit still, with shaking, wide-eyed stares and cold sweats. Symptoms are worse in a crowd so, in addition to Aconite, it will be helpful to find some peace and quiet for your child as well.

Lycopodium - for fear of failure - this remedy is good for a child that is a perfectionist with high expectations and that is overly concerned with what teachers and parents think of them. Presentations and tests are particularly stressful, although typically they will be very well prepared and will do well. The stress is often about what their teachers and parents think of them - they desperately do not want to make a fool of themselves in front of others! This often stems from low self-confidence. These kids will often be bossy, get angry when contradicted, and may lash out when upset.

Calcarea carbonica - for overwhelm - a child that would benefit from Calc carb tends to become overwhelmed quickly because they can’t take in all the new information quickly. New schedule, new teacher, new school, new friends, new lessons – they need time to understand and process one thing at a time. They will worry about the small things and will show a tendency to avoid new things and show some stubbornness and lethargy.

Arsenicum album - for control - this remedy is good for a child that is constitutionally ambitious and perfectionistic, high strung, and nervous. They will show their anxiety and nervousness through controlling themselves and their surroundings - practicing their instrument for hours to get just the right sound, lining up their toys in perfect lines, organizing their books and school supplies days and weeks before school starts - nothing out of order. In addition, they may be insecure about their health and worry about germs. Physically, they tend to be restless and fidgety and often chilled.

Pulsatilla - for separation anxiety - the child needing Pulsatilla will typically be docile, gentle, care a great deal about the feelings of others, and clinging. When it is time to drop your child off at school they WILL NOT LET GO. Once in school, they will be by the teacher’s side. They may cry and whine and be full of worries, and only feel better with hugs and affection and lots of reassurance.

Dosing instructions

Select a remedy based on what seems to best fit your child’s picture. Use the 30c potency available at natural foods stores or Amazon. Give your child a first dose and wait to observe your child’s response. If it helps, re-dose when symptom improvement stalls or symptoms return. Dosing should follow the symptoms, so reduce and stop giving the remedy as the symptoms improve. You can give your child up to 3 doses per day, for 3 days. Not sure what to give? Start with Gelsemium!

If the remedy doesn’t seem to be helping, stop and move on to the next best indicated remedy.

Please reach out if you don’t see anything that fits your child’s picture. There are many more remedies than listed here and I welcome the opportunity to work with you!

Additional support

Be sure to eat extra healthy, drink extra water, get rest, and don’t overdo it; your body will take it from there.

Specific nutritional support for a child experiencing back to school anxiety can be so helpful. Here are a few tried and true nutritional supports:
- Monitor sugar intake - anxiety causes the adrenals to work extra hard by pumping extra cortisol and adrenaline into our systems. Too much sugar further increases workload for the adrenals. Too much cortisol and adrenaline will disrupt sleep and make concentration difficult, which can cycle to further increase anxiety. Further, too much sugar reduces the effectiveness of our immune system for up to 4 hours after eating sugar, which increases our susceptibility to illness. Less is more with sugar.

- Eat protein - Protein helps balance blood sugar spikes, which reduces load on the adrenals and helps to have the best coping resources available. Easy sources of protein include eggs, meat, fish, protein shakes, nuts and seeds, humus with veggies.

- Include micro-nutrients - there are certain micro-nutrients that are essential for the body to operate well. “Essential” in dietary language means that the body can’t produce them and they have to be taken in through diet and supplements. Stress and modern living can deplete key micro-nutrients. The following are GREAT for helping a body through stressful situations.

• Magnesium - magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic processes in the body, so it’s important for many systems and, when it’s depleted, key systems are sub-optimized. Specifically, magnesium is responsible for helping a child be calm at night for restful sleep. Magnesium is best given after school or early evening.

• Zinc - Zinc and magnesium are synergistic and need to be in balance. Zinc is also involved in over 300 enzymatic processes and proper levels are necessary for optimal health. Zinc can be taken any time of day.

• Multi B vitamin: B vitamins are very important for the nervous system. Some kids struggle with taking non-methylated versions of the B vitamins, if you know you have the MTHFR genetic SNP, be sure to take the activated forms of these key vitamins. Take B vitamins in the morning as they can have an energizing effect.

• Vitamin C supports the adrenal glands and will also boost the immune system through cellular detoxification. Vitamin C is water soluble so feel free to take a little extra during stressful times - you’ll naturally eliminate any extra your body can’t use. Vitamin C can be taken any time of day.

• Essential Fatty Acids. Omega 3 can play a role in easing anxiety and low mood as well as improving cognition. Omegas can be taken at any time of day.

**Please note that these are general suggestions based on common nutrient deficiencies. If you have a specific health condition that would contraindicate, please work directly with your doctor to get nutritional support.

Parents need support too.

It’s not only your children who are adjusting to a change in routine. If your child is starting school for the first time or your teenager is leaving home, then you will be feeling the emotional impact. Homeopathy can help you to adjust to these changes and embrace moving forward.

To begin your own healing story with homeopathy, contact me at Sue@SueMcKinleyHomeopathy.com. If you know of anyone that may be interested in this natural, holistic, and 100% individualized modality, I would appreciate a referral and welcome the opportunity to work with them!