Hi Purple fish,
Welcome to the forum!
I'm sorry to hear that things have been so overwhelming. I'm also sorry for the loss of your Aunt.
It's crucial you receive help for the panic attacks, general anxiety and for your loss/grief. Like Strong said, it is definitely worth trying a new psychologist. Making an appointment with your doctor (GP) and getting a referral is a good option. Your doctor may be able to recommend a particular psychologist/professional.
I also struggle with uni assignments. My anxiety worsened about a month ago now, but it's starting to calm down a bit again. I've had anxiety (OCD) since the age of 13, so for 10 years now. About two weeks ago I saw a new psychologist for the first time in several years, and I'm very glad I made that appointment! My second appointment is tomorrow.
As you have anxiety and have also experienced a profound loss, it is worth trying to apply for assessment extensions. While this is not a long-term solution and won't "fix" the situation, it will allow you extra time to complete your work, so you hopefully won't feel as panicked.
If you have been diagnosed with anxiety by your doctor, you can make an appointment with a university counsellor to disclose your mental health situation. I did this a few years ago, and receive some extra allowances (e.g. one week extensions with no medical certificate) because of my ongoing anxiety. At the end of the degree, there would be no indication that the person received these allowances. Future employers won't find out, and the "access plan" or whatever your uni may call it, is confidential.
Tip: if you use the Search bar at the top right corner of this website, you can search for posts on this forum related to specific topics/issues. For instance, you might type in "university stress" or "panic attack".
Feel free to reply or ask more questions 🙂
Good luck and best wishes,
SM
