Overcoming Scolionophobia:
Conquer Your Fear of School

There is always a trigger behind every fear. In the case of scolionophobia, the triggers vary from student to student. It is important for parents, guardians, and teachers to understand what triggers this fear when trying to help a student overcome it.

Scolinophobia typically does not develop as a stand-alone condition. Many times, it co-exists with other anxiety disorders, which makes the student’s emotions even more complicated. Here is how they are connected:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Students who have Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) usually worry a lot about a range of issues, not just school. Sometimes, they worry about their performance, how they appear to people, or whether something horrible will take place. If a person feels almost constant anxiety about school, specifically, this can become known as scolionophobia.

Social Anxiety Disorder
For students who are very afraid of being judged or embarrassed in school, each social interaction can be a minefield. Things like walking down a crowded hallway, participating in group projects, or answering questions in class can be very tough to do. This social anxiety may easily turn into scolionophobia when school becomes synonymous with these feared social interactions.

Panic Disorder
There are some students who mentally associate schools with a prior personal experience of panic attacks. The fear of having another panic attack at school may become so strong that the student may want to avoid going to school altogether.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a condition that makes people feel compelled to perform certain actions repeatedly. Students with OCD might become anxious about school because they think they have no control there. If they feel they need to do certain rituals before leaving the house for school or have intrusive thoughts that get triggered in certain settings, school can cause great discomfort.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD may result from dealing with bullying, abuse, or exposure to violence at school. When this happens, just seeing the school building, wearing a uniform, or meeting a particular teacher can make students feel afraid and panicky again.

Noticing these shared conditions matters a lot. Trying to address the fear of school while ignoring any underlying anxiety disorders usually doesn’t lead to lasting recovery.

Scolionophobia can be very difficult to detect, especially when you don’t know what to look out for. It may start out in the beginning as the common resistance to attending school. However, over time, the pattern of avoiding situations and experiencing distress ends up becoming noticeable. Identifying these signs early can help to stop the fear from growing and allow families and teachers to respond well when students face an episode of scolionophobia.

Scolionophobia is strongly marked by the strong reactions people experience from hearing, thinking about, or going to school. These symptoms don’t go away easily, and they tend to be persistent, cause distress, and make daily living difficult.

Some emotional responses that arise from scolionophobia include:

• Sudden change in mood when school is brought up or thought of
• Irritability, anger, or tantrums on a school morning
• Crying spells or withdrawal
• Expressions of dread, hopelessness, or helplessness

The physical symptoms of scolionophobia often mimic illness, and they may include:

• Persistent headaches
• Nausea, vomiting, or stomachaches
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Increase in heart rate or shortness of breath

It’s important to understand that these symptoms are very real for the student. If everything appears normal after a medical examination, it is important to know that the fear they feel is not imaginary or an attempt to manipulate parents or teachers, but a very real psychological response.

For some, the signs of scolionophobia in the early phase are very clear and noticeable, while other symptoms may be subtle and can easily be overlooked, no matter the frequency of their occurrence. Identifying these signs early helps in the management of the condition.

Here are some of the signs to look out for:

• Constant complaints about minor physical symptoms on school mornings
• Reluctance to prepare for school or delays in getting ready
• Asking repeated “what if” questions about school (e.g., “What if I forget my homework?”)
• Seeking frequent reassurance about things happening at school
• Sudden changes in academic performance or interest
• Overdependence on a caregiver, especially on school days

Many times, such signs are simply attributed to typical childhood behavior. Yet, if they go on or get more serious, they warrant more careful attention.

Not every student with scolionophobia fears the entire school experience, as it usually does not stop students from enjoying some aspects of school. Certain things at school may trigger feelings of fear in students. Understanding these can help choose the best ways to effectively help students.

Here are a few common fear-inducing scenarios:

Examinations and Testing
The fear of failure or judgment may cause fear in students when it comes to tests or quizzes. Being expected to perform well and what happens if they do not can create a lot of stress.

Public Speaking and Class Participation
Students with social anxiety often find being called on, presenting work, or presenting an assignment in front of others a stressful experience. Fear of embarrassment can make every class period seem like a trial.

Unstructured Social Time
Students who have social fears often feel stressed during lunch breaks, recess time, and when changing classrooms. This is because these “free” times can feel unpredictable and unsafe to an anxious child or adolescent.

Teacher Interactions
If students have felt embarrassed or punished by a teacher, they may start to be afraid of certain classes. Even teachers who are neutral may seem threatening to a student who is expecting to be criticized or disciplined.

Transportation and Drop-Off
Even traveling to school, regardless of the mode of transport, can be a source of anxiety. Students may associate leaving the comforts of their home with a sense of vulnerability, resulting in outbursts or refusal to get into the car or bus.

Peer Judgment and Appearance
One popular fear, particularly among adolescents, is the fear of not fitting in due to how they look, dress, or their economic status. The fear of being talked about, judged, or excluded can make school feel like an unfriendly, hostile, and unsafe environment.

It becomes possible for both caregivers and educators to design special support when the situations causing fear are pinpointed. Small changes like giving a safe environment for free time or test support can ease a child’s anxiety much more.

If the fear of school stops a student from attending classes, hanging out with friends, or causing them great anxiety, then just talking with loved ones might no longer be enough. In this case, it can be rightly said that seeking professional help is absolutely essential for true recovery.

Like several specific phobias, scolionophobia is not limited to simple discomfort. The reason it exists so often is usually because of complex psychological issues like past trauma, social anxiety, perfectionism, or the fear of failure. These psychological issues do not just fade away on their own. Rather, they must be carefully treated using treatments proven by evidence.

Mental health professionals help by identifying the source of their patients’ fears, changing how they think or interpret reality, and providing coping skills to manage school life. Many students find that Cognitive Based Therapy and Exposure Therapies safely guide them through confronting their fears.

The truth is that managing and recovering from scolionophobia is possible. While no two individuals will have the exact same response, it has been found that the right therapeutic solution coupled with consistency can help students who have avoided school turn around and feel stronger day by day. Rather than avoiding what triggers their anxiety, they can now face it, and they gradually gain control of their response in triggering situations.

If you, your friends, or your child has scolinophobia, there’s no need to worry. Take the wise and bold step of reaching out to a professional, knowing that with the right help, you can create a positive and confident future for yourself.

After professionals are consulted, the therapist works to discover the best ways to help the student heal. Reassuringly, scolionophobia responds very well to early treatment when a treatment plan is developed based on each patient’s needs.

Usually, treatment for this fear combines different known techniques intended to reduce both the emotional distress and the related physical problems caused by the fear of school. Each of these treatments is created especially to suit the patient’s needs.

One of the most commonly used therapy approaches is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT helps students recognize the connection between their thinking, their feelings, and their actions. The therapist helps them to examine their unhealthy ideas about school and slowly replace them with healthier thought patterns. By understanding your thoughts better, you may find that your fears are less strong with time.

Exposure therapy is another therapeutic technique that is commonly used. In this technique, students are gradually introduced to school situations that are handled in a safe and planned way. This makes it easier for students to handle situations that cause them fear. Over the last few years, people have been able to practice reactions to school situations using VRET, which shows safe but lifelike scenes.

Therapy sessions are designed in a structured manner, with clear targets set and frequent assessments to check how far the student has progressed. Later on, students gain the skills needed to cope with their anxiety and build confidence on their own. Dealing with scolionophobia with the necessary help makes it possible to overcome the condition and even have outstanding academic success.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is considered the top approach for anxiety disorders like scolionophobia. Several studies have shown the efficacy of this technique, and therapists utilize it to support clients in seeing and addressing the harmful thoughts they have about their anxiety.

CBT can guide someone with scolionophobia in uncovering why schools often feel so frightening. Through guided sessions, students are able to understand which negative feelings or ideas, like embarrassment, failure, or being bullied, cause them anxiety. After that, they learn to change their thinking into a more realistic and balanced perspective.

Besides working on thoughts and feelings, CBT also involves behavioral strategies that gradually expose students to what they are afraid of. The combination of these two things can lead to less fear, enhanced self-belief, and restore a sense of control. CBT empowers students to learn how to face and overcome school anxiety.

A CBT therapist will help the student to:

• Recognize negative thought patterns that may cause scolionophobia
• Question how valid these thoughts are
• Change distorted beliefs with a more positive perspective

CBT thrives on collaborative work. Using worksheets, role-playing, and journaling, the team of therapist and student works as a team and tries to alter how the student views school.

Additionally, CBT encourages patients to practice relaxation, set little goals, and slowly deal with difficult situations. With time, these changes help the student feel more capable to solve their problems and increase their willingness to face problems.

Unlike Cognitive-based therapies, which focus on changing thoughts; Exposure Therapy works on the behaviour directly. The basis of exposure therapy is to gradually and repeatedly expose the patient to something they fear. This will help the patient to gradually overcome that fear.

In the case of scolionophobia, exposure therapy will include: talking about school in a space the patient considers safe, repeatedly looking at school-related videos or images, visiting school after normal school hours, spending small periods of time in school, and gradually increasing it.

Exposure therapy is systematic, and it is set up in a way that moves at the student’s own speed. The objective is to show, through repeated practice, that school is harmless and the student can cope without serious problems.

After some time, exposure therapy can actually change how the brain responds to triggers. Ringing bells, passing by the hallway, and entering class no longer seem scary. Exposure therapy helps a lot, though it is best when combined with other CBT strategies.

One question families often ask is, “How much time does therapy take?” Although there is no universal timeline for the recovery period, knowing what to expect will help ease anxiety about the process.
Here are some factors that can influence the duration of therapy and recovery:

• The severity of the condition
• Presence of other mental health conditions like depression
• Support from family and school
• Consistency with therapy and home programs prescribed

Those with mild to moderate scolionophobia usually see good results from CBT or exposure therapy after 8–12 weeks. If a child has experienced trauma or been diagnosed with more than one condition, recovery may last several months.

It’s important to know that progress is not always linear, as there are usually ups and downs. Some students may improve a lot in a short period, and then experience setbacks. This is a normal part of the healing process. Celebrating small wins, staying consistent, and providing emotional support are important to achieve long-term success.

For some families, maintenance therapy, which involves periodic check-ins every few months, helps the student stay on track even after initial recovery.

Choosing the right therapist is very important, but sometimes it may seem difficult and overwhelming. A therapist who is skilled in handling child and adolescent anxiety, school environments, and phobias can make a huge difference in the recovery journey.

Below are tips that can make the process of finding the right therapist less daunting:

Look for Specialized Experience
Look for therapists who specialize in child or adolescent mental health, phobias or anxiety disorders, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and exposure therapy.

Look clinicians with credentials such as Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Licensed Psychologist (PsyD or PhD), or board-certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist.

Ask the Right Questions
When contacting a potential therapist, here are some questions that you should ask:

• Have you treated school-related anxiety or phobias before?
• What therapy methods do you use?
• How do you involve families or schools in the treatment process?
• What is your approach if the student refuses to attend sessions?

Seek School-Connected Resources
Local lists of therapists are usually maintained by both school counselors and psychologists. They can also explain aspects of school life that create stress and make sure proper arrangements are in place during treatment.

Consider Teletherapy Options
Online therapy platforms have made it easier to access mental health support. Many children find teletherapy less intimidating, particularly at the beginning of therapy. Make sure to look for therapists who are licensed in your state and have experience having virtual therapy sessions with children.

Trust the Comfort Level
Having a qualified therapist isn’t enough if the student doesn’t feel comfortable with them. Following a couple of sessions, judge if the student responds and feels comfortable during the conversations. If it doesn’t meet your needs, do not hesitate to switch to another professional.

Therapy offers an important solution for scolionophobia, but the healing continues after leaving the therapist’s office. The emotional resilience and strength needed to manage school-related fear is developed by doing self-help activities regularly. These strategies help students feel stronger and more in charge of their bodies.

It is important that we use self-help approaches as an adjunct, rather than a substitute for professionally provided assistance. Self-help approaches complement therapy, help kids cope better, and allow them to play a part in their healing.

Some students with scolionophobia are much more likely to feel anxiety at school, not only as emotional distress, but also as bodily sensations such as nausea, muscle tension and shortness of breath. Many students’ nervous systems are already activated before they get to school, with a rapid heartbeat, tense stomach, locked muscles, and brief breaths. These signs are a result of the body’s fight-or-flight mechanism that is used when trying to protect itself from any form of threat, not just physical ones.

Breathing and relaxation techniques are simple and powerful tools that can be tried by anyone. These methods help to deactivate the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for stress responses, and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which induces calmness. What’s better is that these techniques are easy, don’t cost anything, and can be done any time, giving real-time relief to students.

In this section, we will discuss some breathing and relaxation techniques that can be used to relieve stress.

Box Breathing
Box breathing is a structured and rhythmic breathing practice that promotes calmness. Originally, it was used by Navy SEALs to help stay calm under stress, but now therapists, educators, and those with anxiety also use it.

Here is how to perform box breathing techniques:

1. Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds
2. Hold your breath for 4 seconds
3. Breathe out through your mouth for 4 seconds
4. Hold again for 4 seconds, and that’s it!
5. You can repeat this for 4-6 cycles.

Box breathing helps you breathe properly, slows your heartbeat, and gives you something neutral to think about. Moving through those steps at a steady pace can soothe your mind and return your body to a more calm state.

A pro tip is to combine this technique with a visual aid. Imagine tracing the sides of a box with your finger, one side per step. You can also draw the box on a sticky note for use at school.

Diaphragmatic Breathing (Belly Breathing)
Breathing from the diaphragm is different from shallow chest breathing, which occurs during anxiety. In diaphragmatic breathing, the diaphragm and abdominal muscles are used, allowing air to reach deeper into your lungs.

Here is how to do it:

• Sit or lie down comfortably
• Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly
• Breathe in slowly through your nose, making the hand on your belly and not the one on your chest rise
• Breathe out through your mouth, allowing the belly to deflate
• Repeat for 5–10 minutes, focusing on the rise and fall of the belly

Diaphragmatic or belly breathing, as it is sometimes called, lowers stress, relaxes the muscles, and helps calm the mind. You can do this exercise just before bed or in the morning before you head to school.

A tip for little kids is to lie on the ground and then put a stuffed animal on their tummy. Seeing the toy go up and down during exercise keeps younger kids involved.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
PMR guides you to tense and relax different muscles in a systematic order, teaching your body to pick up on and release physical tension.
Here’s how it can be done:

• Begin at your feet. Squeeze and curl your toes for 5 seconds
• Then relax your toes and take note of how your muscle feels
• Do this for the rest of your body: your thighs, abdomen, hands, arms, shoulders, and face.
• Hold each muscle group in a tensed position for 5 seconds and relax for 10-15 seconds.

PMR trains you to understand your body and eases symptoms of anxiety, including tension in the jaw, headaches, and muscle aches. The practice helps you pay attention to your internal experience and can help you center your thoughts on the immediate moment.

PMR is best used to calm your mind just before sleeping, after coming home from school, or if you’re dealing with stress from a panic attack. You may also combine it with the guided audio found on the websites or apps such as Breathe, Smiling Mind, or Headspace.

The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique
This is a sensory-based relaxation technique that can shift your mind away from anxious thoughts and help you to focus on the current moment.
Here is how to go about using the 5-4–3-2-1 grounding technique:

• Mention 5 things you can see, e.g, shoes, trees, clock, etc.
• List 4 things you can feel, e.g., your clothes
• Point out 3 things you can hear, e.g., birds, voices from a distance, etc.
• List 2 things you can smell, e.g., roasted coffee, wet grass
• List 1 thing you can taste or imagine tasting

Most of the time, anxiety comes from worrying about future problems ("What if I do badly on the test?"). Using grounding techniques gives students a technique to help them relax and calm the mind quickly.

You can use this method just before starting school for the day, during changes of activity, or during break time in class. Since it isn’t obvious, it makes students more at ease and helps those who suffer from social anxiety.

Paired Muscle and Breath Relaxation
These techniques combine Progressive Muscle Relaxation with deep breathing to maximize relaxation in a short amount of time.
Here is how to go about it:

1. Take a long, deep breath as you tense your fists (or a group of muscles).
2. Maintain your control of breath and muscles for about 4–5 seconds.
3. Make sure you slow your breathing as you let go of the tension.
4. Work out a different muscle group after the first exercise

The mix of exercise and breathing helps give your body oxygen and helps reduce physical tension. It is most useful during situations where you feel nervous, like taking a test, speaking in front of a group, or eating lunch around classmates.

Research has found that mindfulness can greatly reduce feelings of anxiety related to school. Mindfulness helps students with scolionophobia build a secure mental space, so they can focus their minds, settle their nerves, and act adaptively, rather than with fear, in any situation.

In short, being mindful is focusing on what is happening at the moment with full attention and without judgment or the pressure to change the experience. If mindfulness is practiced often, it can result in improved emotional control and concentration, and can equip young people with ways to better handle stress in school.

Here are some simple mindfulness activities suitable for kids, families, and teachers trying to prepare for a return to school.

The Mindful Minute: Anchoring in the Present
The Mindful Minute is one of the easiest ways to introduce practicing mindfulness. It requires just one minute of focused awareness of breathing or body sensations.

Here is how to go about the mindful minute technique:

1. Sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed or gently focused
2. Set your timer to 60 seconds
3. Pay attention to the rhythm of your breath
4. Bring your mind back to focus when you realize that you are drifting off course

Doing this regularly helps your brain become stronger and more focused over the weeks. It works to see students pause and reset, and prepares them for extra stressful situations at school, like walking into a classroom or studying for an exam.

Body Scan Meditation: Reconnecting with the Body
A body scan helps students notice different areas where they feel tension or stress. The body scan is a full-body relaxation technique that helps students become aware of where they hold tension and stress.

Here is how you can carry out a body scan:

• Choose a calm room to sit or lie down in.
• Pay attention to your toes at first, simply noticing any feelings you have.
• Start at your feet and go up through the calves, thighs, belly, chest, arms, and so on, spending 5–10 seconds on each step before moving up.
• If you find your thoughts straying, relax and reach the part of your body where you stopped.

Practicing yoga helps people pay close attention to their bodies, which can ease their concerns by releasing tension in the muscles and chest. It works on their ability to see minor changes in their emotions before they get too big.

Mindful Coloring, Drawing and Painting
This practice uses the simple act of coloring, drawing or painting as an avenue to meditate. Taking time to color, draw or paint encourages your mind to calm itself naturally. When you practice mindful drawing, your creativity increases, and it helps your mind stay relaxed and feel happier inside. It works best for those who learn better through sight and hands-on activities.

For students with scolionophobia, the fear of school is deeply rooted in their mind and what seems to be a simple action for some, such as walking through the school gate for instance, may trigger a spiral of negative emotions. At these moments, the mind becomes a breeding ground for fear and imagining the worst-case scenarios.

But what if we could teach the brain to envision success instead of failure? What if, by walking into school, students could already enjoy a positive day even before it actually happens?

This is what mental imagery or visualization can do. You can use it to imagine good outcomes in school, and it is really effective for rebuilding the confidence of students who struggle with fear.

Below is a step-by-step guide that can be used by students of all ages, either independently or with the help of a parent, teacher, or counselor. The key is to make the imagery as vivid and sensory-rich as possible.

Step 1: Choose the Scenario
Visualization starts by choosing a specific part of the school day that triggers fear and imagining it in your mind. It could be entering the school gates, talking to a classmate, answering questions in class, or eating in the school’s cafeteria. Hold on to one event to study and practice visualizing only that episode.

Step 2: Get Comfortable
Look for a space where you won’t be disturbed. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to relax your body. This helps you focus your mind more easily.

Step 3: Begin the Visualization
Now, go ahead and think your way through what might happen. Relive the experience in your mind through what you saw, heard, and felt.
Make sure the scene reflects real life in a positive way. You aren’t pretending you’re fine, you’re imagining and learning to believe that you can handle your emotions and any hard situation that comes your way.

Step 4: Replay and Reinforce
Visualize the event just as much as you can every day. You may need a week to picture the same moment before you move on to something different. When you practice a lot, your brain starts to favor success over fear.

Some students find it better to write the scene out in a journal, draw it, or record an audio to listen to regularly.

When a student faces the fear of school, the solution is not found in isolation, but rather, it is built on the foundation of support. Although coping strategies like mindfulness, breathing techniques, and visualization can be very helpful, nothing works better than having a caring support group on hand to understand, encourage, and support you at home, school, and in your community.

Giving a child or teen who has scolionophobia emotional support is much more important than any specific technique. By using this emotional support, students can safely address their anxieties, become strong, and gradually get reintegrated into their school activities.

Build an Emotionally Safe Home Environment
Focus on making connections, rather than correcting your child’s actions, inside your home. Don’t dismiss a child’s fear right away; instead, say, “It’s normal to have that fear.”

Always look for ways to make decisions by working together instead of giving non-negotiable instructions.

Establish Predictable Routines
Consistency makes people feel safe and more secure. Set up a morning and evening schedule that gives you enough time to dress without hurry, contains peaceful habits like music or a quiet breakfast, and lets you know what the day ahead will be about.

If you can, review what’s coming up or talk about any changes ahead so it’s clearer what to expect.

Engage the School Team
Teachers, counselors, and administrators are important people to have by your side. It could help to put together a school reentry plan that gradually eases the student back into school.

Sharing information with each other ensures both clarity and support for your child in all areas of life.

Encourage Peer Connection
Being socially isolated tends to make school fears even worse. Encourage casual social activities by suggesting playdates or group homework, urging the child to join clubs less focused on school, and celebrating simple social steps the child takes (e.g, “You made a new friend today, that is amazing!”)

This can make students with scolionophobia eager to come back to school because of their friendships and peers.

Model Coping Strategies as a Family
If a parent, sibling, or caregiver also has anxiety, make mindfulness, relaxation, or journaling into a family activity. Children learn better from what we do than from the instructions given.

Technology has made an impact on almost everything we do, both at work and in communication with others. Nowadays, it is playing a key role in psychological therapy as it helps treat anxiety disorders such as scolionophobia. Besides traditional treatment methods like Cognitive Based Therapy (CBT), Exposure Therapy, and mindfulness, there are now new ideas that are helping to progress emotional and behavioral healing.

Using immersive simulations, VRET makes it possible for students to face their classroom worries in a safe, easy-to-repeat situation from home. If school experience has made someone feel paralyzed in the past or caused them to avoid school, VRET offers a way to face those fears without physically facing them in real-life scenarios.

For a long time, people have used exposure therapy. It involves helping a person face what frightens them while looking after their safety. It teaches them that there is no need to fear it. In previous times, clinicians have been supporting students in overcoming their fear of school by having them imagine situations, act out conversations, or practice desired behaviors at school. Even so, there are important drawbacks to these strategies, despite how well they can work.

The traditional therapy method requires children, especially those with trauma, to think really hard about things that frighten them. While it may be tempting to use actual situations to facilitate this learning, it isn’t always practical or morally right. If you encourage students to talk to their classmates before they are actually ready, it may just increase their anxiety or reinforce their negative experience.

In Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy sessions, people look at virtual scenes that feel as real as possible but are totally safe and without real-world consequence. Using specialized software and a VR headset, students can virtually enter school areas such as the hall, a class that is especially busy, the dining area, or a meeting with a teacher. Because each scenario can be set up differently, the therapist is capable of changing the intensity, amount, and pace of the activities for the child.

In this section, we will explore how VR therapy helps protect students, review the benefits of virtual reality for anxiety in schools, and look at how PsyTech VR has influenced how scolionophobia is handled today.

A wonderful part of VRET is that it can involve exposure therapy in a safe, controlled, and encouraging way. Such information is especially useful for kids and teens struggling with worsening school anxiety.

But, exactly how does Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy work? How do students with scolionophobia experience a virtual environment designed to feel like a school?

The process starts with setting up a virtual environment that looks like a school. This space is not just a game-like space; today's VR tools can build detailed replicas of school buildings, classrooms, hallways, cafeterias, buses, and playgrounds. In these simulations, students are put in scenarios that make them experience things like hearing lockers shut or hearing people talk nearby.

Because VRET allows you to change every detail, therapists can control every aspect of a virtual environment. Therapists can alter the number of people present, adjust the background noise, decide which activities happen (such as interacting with a teacher or moving through a busy hallway), and pause the simulation if a student becomes overly stressed.

Because of how well we can control VRET, it feels less frightening and more predictable. Students can enjoy exploring the setting as much as they’d like and build tolerance at their own pace.

By gradually facing their fears, participants of the exposure therapy become less afraid of what frightens them. This helps to become desensitized to those triggers over time. Exposures in most VRET programs for school anxiety are tackled one step at a time.

For students with scolionophobia, therapy often starts in a room with no one there and no words heard. As soon as the individual feels comfortable, light background sounds are introduced into the environment. Then, students or teachers can be added to the environment. Later, the student can take on more involved social roles like answering a class question or delivering a presentation.

Virtual Reality Therapy is not limited to just what you see. It utilizes multiple senses to create a pseudo-real and immersive experience. Besides detailed 3D imagery, students can hear in VR school the same sounds they’d hear in a real building: bells, footsteps, classroom activities, and even students chatting.

Focusing on the senses accurately matters. Most of the fear experienced by students with scolionophobia comes from how much their surroundings seem to overwhelm them. With VR, students can watch and experience distracting situations to help them learn how to stay composed when they happen in real life. As weeks go by and nothing fearful occurs, their brain understands that school isn’t a threat. Fear during learning becomes less daunting, and the student feels stronger in handling difficult situations.

For students who haven’t been in school for many months or even years because of anxiety, these virtual therapy sessions are extremely helpful. VRET helps students ease back into school by letting them participate in classes virtually.