School threats are happening frequently, but what's the mental impact?
OAKLAND COUNTY, MICH (CBS DETROIT) - School threats continue to rise across America. Schools in the Metro Detroit area are no strangers to incidents as well. Every time a hoax or threat happens, does it have an effect on students?
Detroit Now News talked with, Dr. Ronald Samarian, he is the Chief of Psychiatry at Corewell Health William Beaumont University in Royal Oak.
According to the mental health professional, there's a difference between hearing about a threat and being in a threatening situation. As school threats are made he understands how it can trigger reactions.
"Students can react in a number of ways they can feel an immediate threat which will put them in a fight or flight response or other students may take it nonchalantly and think again, 'this is a boy cries wolf' and sorta be numb to the situation," according to Dr. Samarian.
The doctor believes students that are younger such as elementary level are potentially more susceptible to a school threat versus an older child.
"Not one size fits all I think some students would get very angry and others with a temperament of anxiety are going to maintain a high level of anxiety not only at school but at school, at home, when they anticipate coming back to school."
How close in proximity is also a factor in how a student may react to a school threat.
"If you're in the school system you're more likely to feel anxiety than if you're two or three communities removed or out of state," he noted.
Students' natural temperament and home environment could also affect responses. But when considering school threats, Dr. Samarian feels there's another group that needs to be thought of.
"My bias is that I think this it is more impactful on parents than students." He continued, "There is, I think a heightened concern and fear in parents sending their kids to school now."
On November 3rd, students at South Lyon High were evacuated after a reported bomb threat. The Oakland County Sheriff's Office eventually found the threat not credible.
Before the all-clear was given on scene, Detroit Now News watched as families were already on the way to pick up their loved ones.
We talked with a grandparent that arrived on the scene to pick up her two grandchildren. With grandchildren that are second-generation students at South Lyon High, Bridget Delaney wants parents and guardians to start taking accountability.
The school was locked down on Monday, Oct. 31, after receiving a threat, and was also locked down on Oct. 25 after officials found a note on a second-floor bathroom wall that said someone was going to shoot up the school.
There's got to be accountability, according to Delaney. She continued, "This isn't funny, it's not a joke you know it's four kids in Oxford that didn't get to come home their parents didn't get to come to pick them up at school," Delaney told us.
For students that have pre-existing conditions like anxiety, Dr. Samarian believes school threats only make life more difficult.
"There is a subset of people that are very prone to anxiety and repeated threats are going to give them the sense they're never safe. And that's tragic," he noted.
As school threats grow common students' views on violence overall could change, according to Dr. Samarian.
Overall the Chief of Psychiatry feels students should continue to push forward. "Despite these threats, I think it's important that we keep them focused and they keep focused on what they want to do in their life."
