Boarding School Syndrome Counselling
Boarding School Syndrome Counselling
June 01 2023 TalktoAngel 0 comments 2387 Views
Boarding School Syndrome involves the
psychological trauma that can result from the experience of being sent away to
boarding school. It was first recognised as a condition by Jungian analyst
Professor Joy Schaverien around a decade ago. Sending
kids away to boarding school is a tradition among affluent communities and the
upper classes. It is regarded as a privileged path that is covered in excellent
opportunities. Private boarding schools provide students a top-notch education
and increased chances of admission to prestigious universities. In actuality,
90% of boarders enroll in their preferred university. Online Counselling for
Boarding School Syndrome often involves exploring past experiences, working
through difficult emotions, and learning new coping strategies with help of Best psychologists in India.
Unique
learning opportunities, smaller class sizes, and excellent career prospects are
just a few of the many advantages of a private education. However, research
indicates that young children who are sent to boarding school may experience "irrevocable loss of primary
attachments" and that "for
many, this constitutes a significant trauma."There can be long term
impacts on the child due to separation.
What is Boarding School Syndrome?
The
term "boarding school syndrome" was first used by Jungian
psychoanalyst Joy Schaverian, author of Boarding School Syndrome: The
Psychological Trauma of the "Privileged"
Child. She compares a child's experience going to boarding school to being
placed in foster care.
When
a youngster is sent to boarding school, it is done so on the pretence of giving
them a special chance. The youngster is aware that their misery is not their
fault. The youngster adapts to their new life without anybody nearby to comfort
them and builds armour to cover up their feelings of vulnerability.In her
practice in the UK, Schaverian noticed a distorted pattern of symptoms and
behaviors among boarding school students, which made her more conscious of the
negative effects of the institution.
She
found that many people had buried trauma and were unaware of the link between
their present problems and their terrible boarding school experience as a
child.
In
order to survive, Schaverian observed that people who boarded had created a
"defensive and protective encapsulation of the self." "The
genuine identity of the person remains secret as a result,"According to
Schaverian, this is a serious trauma that persists into adulthood and affects
intimate relationships.
Hidden
trauma and bereavement
A
young child who is sent to boarding school loses both their home and their
connection figures. Some students who are sent to study abroad might not even
get the chance to return home for the holidays. Children cannot comprehend this
tragedy. Because of a fear of being teased or harassed, severe emotional
distress is frequently hidden, some of them suffers from
PTSD or
complex
PTSD.
The
forcible removal of children from their parents causes distress. A youngster
needs to develop the ability to live independently of their parents (or
nannies). It's like discovering how to live without love. However, the parents,
school, professors, and older pupils minimize this significant loss for the
child, who is grieving, and experiencing home sickness and heartbreak. In this
circumstance, a child soon learns to hide their genuine emotions. Their parents
and professors frequently compliment them on their good fortune. Additionally,
crying is simply not acceptable at boarding schools.
Those
who are allowed to return home for the holidays experience the same anguish again
when they are taken away. Bereavement and broken attachment have a recurring
pattern. A disciplined boarding school environment causes the emotional anguish
to be severely suppressed.
Abuse
and bullying
Bullying is
frequently accepted at boarding schools because it's a 24/7 experience there
and there's nowhere to hide. In spite of the fact that boarding schools are a
melting pot of emotions, many of these feelings aren't accepted or talked
about. There is really nothing to be done; making up stories only makes matters
worse.
Bullying
doesn't just happen to students. Bullying
occurs in non-boarding institutions as well, but a significant distinction for
boarders is their tenacity. There is nowhere to hide, and neither the parents
nor the siblings can intervene. There is no affection or support. Children find
it difficult to comprehend why their parents have sent them to ‘hell’.
Also
prevalent is sexual assault in boarding institutions. In the setting of a
boarding school, abusers feel empowered since their parents are not there to
spot the warning indications of abuse. If they feel abandoned by their parents,
they may also misjudge the situation and like the attention.
Dissociation
as a survival technique
A
change in the way the mind processes information is called dissociation. You
can separate yourself from your thoughts, feelings, experiences, environment,
and even your identity. Dissociating from emotional turbulence is a typical
survival strategy among boarders.
Dissociation
is described as "an adaptive defence in response to extreme stress or
trauma" by Steinberg and Schnall (2001), and it is characterized by memory
loss and a feeling of disconnection from oneself or one's surroundings.This
technique aids boarding school students in overcoming their traumatic and
demanding circumstances.
Since
boarding school syndrome is not a medical term but rather a theory or term
created to explain a group of symptoms and behaviors, the majority of people
don't seek help for it. The majority of the time, people seeks assistance to
deal with emotional issues including general depression, relationship issues,
or other emotional issues.
The
effects of boarding school on a person are typically not acknowledged by that
person. They might actually think of their education as extraordinary and a
privilege. By projecting a false sense of independence, the neglect or
attachment problems are concealed. Usually, during psychotherapy, the effects
of boarding school become clear to the patient.
Contribution: Dr (Prof) R K Suri, Clinical Psychologist, life coach & mentor TalktoAngel & Ms Aditi Bhardwaj, Psychologist
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