Community Consolidated School District 89 recently issued the following announcement.
Community Consolidated School District 89 will be hosting a documentary screening and panel discussion about how anxiety is affecting a greater number of elementary and middle school students. The free event will start with a screening of the powerful documentary “Angst” at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 8, in the gym at Glen Crest Middle School, 725 Sheehan Avenue, Glen Ellyn.
The film features interviews with young adults and kids who are dealing with, or have dealt with, anxiety. Students will talk about what they’ve learned. Mental health experts will discuss the causes of anxiety, its impact on society, signs to look for, and tools educators can use. Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, is featured in the film, talking about his struggles with anxiety.
The event is open to anyone in the community, whether or not they have students in CCSD 89. The event is open to students who are in middle school or older.
After the movie, CCSD 89 Director of Student Services Eugene Olsen will moderate a panel discussion among mental health experts, including Dr. Patricia Graczyk, assistant professor of clinical psychology in psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and Robin Boggs Choquette, a Naperville licensed clinical professional counselor and doctor of psychology. The event is scheduled to end at 8 p.m.
Like most school districts, CCSD 89 has seen an increase in anxiety among younger students. Anxiety can impact students’ ability to concentrate in class, build positive friendships, or choose healthy coping mechanisms. It can be the first signs of more intense and debilitating mental health disorders, including depression.
Olsen said CCSD 89 schools have seen more incidents of students who complain of upset stomachs or health issues that have no medical cause, students who try to avoid school, and students who struggle to share their emotions.
“Some people compare it to a neurological allergy because the reaction is like an inflammation,” Olsen said. “Their body gets flooded and they cannot cope with the demands. Just like with an allergy, your body reacts and tells you it needs to stop.”
Families who attend the event will leave with a better understanding of early indictors and signs of anxiety. They will receive information on the systems of support and how to access that support through school and community agencies. The event will also diminish the stigma around mental health issues.
More resources
- Trailer for “Angst”: https://youtu.be/R52HZR8ZsgE
- See the filmmakers talk about why they made “Angst”: https://vimeo.com/232712492
- Angst movie clip – Is social media to blame for increased anxiety?: https://vimeo.com/231471669
- Angst movie clip – Anxiety and the mind-gut connection: https://vimeo.com/241931266
- Take the Child Mind Institute anxiety quiz: https://childmind.org/symptomchecker/
- Tools and resources for anxiety concerns: https://angstmovie.com/resources/
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