Anxiety about Leaving school

[tahlsy16]

Hi

So I know people have properly already made these posts, but I am just having so much trouble with trying to cope with the idea of leaving school and having to grow up. I am currently in year 12 and in my finale few weeks, and while all my friends seem really happy and excited to leave, I can`t help but get really stressed. I`m struggling to focus in class and get my assignments done (which at first I thought was just procrastination but have come to learn that it`s something different where I just cant physically bring myself to do any school work), I`m finding it hard to sleep, I keep having constant panic attacks and overall just feeling really hopeless and alone and constantly on the verge of tears. I can`t stop thinking about how after I graduate, that`s it. Like I just go through life, watching the people around me die and struggle with life`s annoying bumps like money, relationships and trying to afford everything. I keep stressing myself out with the thought that I need to get a job, and I need to be able to afford a house and food, and that I am going to have so many annoying challenges to go through, and I am starting to wonder if it`s worth it all.

I`ve seen physiologists in the past due to anxiety and depression, and recently depersonalisation. I keep having these episodes where everything appears fake, and that I am just having a vivid dream. I am having difficulty remembering whether things that have happened where a dream or really happened. I also keep getting hung up on the thought that everything that has happened to me, all the amazing laughs that I`ve shared with people, the concerts I`ve been to, just everything in general is all now just a memory. And i can`t help but think that everything that`s going to happen in the future will soon just be a memory.

I`ve learned a few exercises that have helped me with panic attacks mainly, but I don`t have anything to help me long term.

Any advice on how to go about this would be so helpful. Thank you.

[baet123]

Hey Tahlsy,

Welcome to the forums and thanks for posting and providing us a detailed insight of your life. Right off the bat I can tell your extremely intelligent, thoughtful, brave and resilient and you should be extremely proud of yourself that you possess these qualities.

Sorry to hear that your struggling at the moment but what you are experiencing is extremely common and don't be too harsh on yourself. For many of us, the school life is all we've known and over our 13 years at school, we grow comfortable in our surroundings and it is a scary, daunting thought having to process the realisation that it is coming to an end and in a sense you will be entering the "unknown".

Have you spoken to your coordinator/counselor at school and discuss whether you are able to change some of the conditions of your study to facilitate your condition? All school's share a few things in common which include the importance of the welfare of their student's so this might be an option you may wish to consider.

You mentioned above that you don`t have anything to help me long term." May I ask if you still see your health professionals regularly and are you on medication? Keeping up appearances and regularly seeing your GP, Psychologists or psychiatrist (if you see one) is super important to your treatment/recovery. Do you exercise regularly? Eat a balanced diet and get enough sleep? These are cliche but they do work.

I also believe that you would greatly benefit from an organisation such as Headspace. Headspace is a mental health service provider who assists people aged between 12-25 suffering from a mental health condition. They approach each case differently and will assist you holistically and the social workers, nurses, psychologists and GP's will work together and improve your emotional well-being and quality of life. Please consider contacting Headspace. They would love to hear from you.

When an individual suffers from anxiety and depression, one's views and outlook on life becomes skewed from not fault of their own. This may appear hopeless but believe me, life is wonderful and so precious. Pain is temporary and it will get better and nothing in life worth doing is ever easy. You have so much life left to live and so much left to give and your future is extremely bright.

I hope this helps and I look forward to hearing back from you shortly.

Nick.

[tahlsy16]

Hi Nick

Thank you so much, this has been very helpful. I am going to talk to my school coordinator to see if I can have any changes to my schedule. I was seeing a psychologist inside and outside the school, but both of them agreed that I should see a psychiatrists (I`m pretty sure), in regards to medication, but my mum wasn`t comfortable with that. I was going to wait till after school when I had a bit more freedom to talk to my gp about revisiting a psychologist. I don`t do a lot of excerise, mainly walking to and from school and the train station and then walking my dog in the afternoons. At the moment me and my family are eating pretty healthly (we`ve got vegetarian).

I will definatly look into headspace. Thank you so much for your help

[baet123]

Hey Tahlsy,

Great to hear from you!

I am glad that I can be of some assistance and talking to your coordinator is a good idea. Your school does care about you and your well-being is there main priority above all.

I believe a psychiatrist and medication would benefit you immensely. I know and understand why your mother would have concerns but medication often works and is generally a necessary component of treatment/recovery. I would consider going to your GP and asking for a referral to a psychiatrist and going with your mother and allowing her to ask questions and discuss the issue of medication further with a psychiatrist. From my own personal experience and professional experience medication generally promotes and fosters a far better quality of life than those not on medication, when medication is deemed applicable and appropriate of course!

Headspace is amazing. They would love to hear from you and I believe a holistic approach to your condition would be super beneficial.

Please keep me updated and have a great day!

Nick.

[Trying55]

Hi Tahlsy,

I don't know how much help this will be but I will try my best.

Last year I finished year 12 while managing OCD and mild depressive symptoms. The end of the year was really difficult for me also as I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and I had no idea how to go about everything. My parents further had no understanding of my situation really and would push me to strive for excellent grades and enrolment into a suitable degree like law or medicine. I also worked part time last year while managing all of this. Some things that I did to help me get through my last few assignments and study for my exams was taking time off work for the entire last term, I forced myself to exercise regularly, to go out with friends every weekend and I tried to meditate daily as well to help calm my thoughts at night.

The idea of leaving high school scared me a lot. School always seemed so safe to me and comfortable because I knew what to expect. Fortunately, I'm pretty good at compartmentalising so I pretty much put all of these feelings away and just focused on working hard, something I know that is not really easy to do. Further, one week after completing my final exam, my dad passed away. This made leaving school even more intimidating as well as life overall and I began to question what the point of it all was and so on.

It has been almost a year since all of that happened. This year has been difficult but it has also convinced me that there is a point to it all, there is a lot of meaning around us and although things are hard and scary for the moment, they won't always be that way. I am still very much struggling with life and everything. But, it is in such a different way then I was last year. I feel a lot more hopeful and a lot of that has to do with me putting myself first above all else and having friends to support me and reassure me when I have doubts. I know growing up is scary, I am still very much scared but it doesn't happen all at once and it's normal to struggle through it. I mean that's how we learn in life and grow. It sucks that you feel this way and I'm really sorry for that, but I hope something in my mess will be able to help you. Just be kind to yourself while you are going through all of this.

All the best,

Trying55

[herehere]

hey tahlsy!!

im struggling with much the same. although i dont see any professional.

through my own panics of no routine/structure outside of school ive felt lists help a bit. ive had a tough time doing anything on the lists, but ive found it a bit head-clearing to just write down the stuff i have to do (even in respects to my future) just start with simple stuff, like googling "how to make a resume", "body language in an interview". helps to feel like youve accomplished something off of the list.

when i talked to my teacher about memory stuff, she suggested i try to keep a diary. i havent been really good at it, but its helped me sort out what happened on what day. i just dot point stuff sometimes, or write through out the day when i can. its a bit relaxing too, but i get stressed thinking about someone finding it. ive hidden mine in my underwear. i still cant remember stuff or when it happened, but it comforts me knowing that i can go back to a diary and figure out that it did happen and it was on the 22nd of october or something.

2018 graduates unite bro!!

herehere

[pinkkookaburra99]

Last year I was terrified to leave too. I was going through a lot of the anxiety you were, believe me. I was worried about the cost of living, finsing a job, finding a husband. I’m going to tell you something I desperately wish someone told me.

Leaving school can be fun!

When you finish year 12 you get massive summer holidays, which are great. Just think- lazy days by the pool, playing video games, freedom from homework and exams. University is also really cool, if that’s what you’re into. You get to study what you want, and there are better support services than there were at high school.

Being an adult does have it’s occasional stresses and challenges, but it also has it’s wins.

Think about the excitement of buying your first house, starting a new job you really love, getting a new dog, holding your baby in your arms for the first time.

Adulthood doesn’t suck all of the time, I promise.

i hope I didn’t sound patronising, all this stuff is genuine fact that no one told me and I realised far too late.

It sounds like you are experiencing dissociation, I’m not an expert but it might be helpful to do some research. You are not alone and there are things you can do to help.

Finishing high school is one of the most scary, intense parts of anyone’s life. Reaching out for help is a good idea, because it’s unfair for you to be struggling so much on your own. Best of luck x