1. WHY DOES CAMP MAKE PEOPLE ANXIOUS
And How Can We Help?

2. SPECTRUM OF ANXIETY Generalized Anxiety Disorder Specific Phobias
Panic attacks
Feeling anxious
Stress

3. GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER
cause people to feel excessively frightened, distressed, or uneasy during situations in which most people would not feel that way, and they worry about many topics

4. SPECIFIC PHOBIAS Unrealistic and excessive fears relating to one issue
Phobias usually cause people to avoid the things they fear
Social anxiety is most common

5. PANIC ATTACKS Can occur for no apparent reason
Sudden and intense physical symptoms that can include a pounding heart, shortness of breath, or dizziness caused by the body's normal fear response
Pseudo panic attacks can happen

6. FEELING ANXIOUS “Normal anxiety”
Feeling of uneasiness about danger or misfortune
Caused by discomfort
Often protective
A way of checking bonding

7. STRESS
Strain or tension
Physical
Mental
Emotional

8. WHAT’S HAPPENING AT CAMP?
For the eighth consecutive year, the top category of calls to the ACA Crisis Line was related to health and medical issues. This category grew from 31 percent of calls in 2015, to 38 percent in 2016.  However, most notable is the increase in calls related to mental health issues in campers and staff, a category which fell into the “other” category of health-related calls in previous years. Forty-two percent of all the health and medical calls were related to mental health issues. Of these, 57 percent were related to campers and 43 percent were related to staff. 

9. ACUTE RESPONSE Perceived threat Cortisol dump Inability to reason
Less than a second to start
Minutes to stop

10. FIGHT OR FLIGHT

11. STRESSORS New stimuli Unknown patterns Change Perceived lack
of support system
LACK OF CONTROL

12. STRESS RELIEVERS Preparation Talking matters
Focus on solvable problems
Reframe negativity
Physical changes
TAKING CONTROL

13. PREPARATION Before camp During camp Forms Communication Expectations
Staff training
During camp
Reaction

14. TALKING MATTERS Build trust Accept emotions Express empathy
Move towards action

15. REFOCUS/REFRAME Refocus Reframe Who defines the problem?
What can’t be done?
What CAN be done?
Reframe
Look for the good
What would you tell a friend?

16. PHYSICAL STRATEGIES Sleep Healthy food Exercise Mindfulness
Helping others
FUN!

17. SUPPORT YOUR STAFF Train To help themselves To help kids
Self-care (model it)
Provide back-up
During camp
After camp

18. CAMP IS THE BEST PLACE TO BE!