Macon therapist urges parents to watch for persistent back-to-school anxiety

Lisa Ibekwe says withdrawal, avoiding previously enjoyable activities and increased isolation could signal that a teen needs support.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Macon mental health professional is urging parents to watch for signs of persistent anxiety as teens prepare to return to school.

Back-to-school season is just a few weeks away, and some teens could be feeling the pressure.

Licensed clinical social worker Lisa Ibekwe at The Comfy Place says teens being nervous before the first day of school is natural. She says teens can develop more anxiety when making bigger changes, such as going from middle school to high school or from high school to college.

“If you’re seeing the behavioral shifts, that’s when it starts to become a concern,” Ibekwe said. “So we look at it as don’t let the initial anxiety be a determining factor of is the child struggling, are they anxious about going to school, because that’s normal. But if you see this same anxiety three weeks later, that’s when you need to reach out and get help for your child and give them somewhere they can speak and get support.”

She says studies show anxiety has increased by 60% and depression by 40%.

“And if you think about what our teens have been facing, the pressure from social media, the fact that it is everywhere post-Covid,” Ibekwe said. “A lot of our kids grew up in a Covid era, where they were isolated.”

She gives signs all parents should look out for.

“You’re looking at the behavioral shifts,” she said. “So are they withdrawing from things they used to do? Are they avoiding things that used to be enjoyable? Are they shutting down or seeming more depressed, more isolated?”

Ibekwe says therapy can be scary, but it’s helpful.

“Sometimes we just need to chop it up!” she said. “Sometimes we just need a space to vent and talk through things, and therapy’s important because you have a trained professional to do that with.”

If you’re interested in your child getting therapy, The Comfy Place is located at 3312 Northside Drive in Macon.