I need of support!

[aude_g]

Hey Guys,

I'm in year 11 at the moment and I'm struggling with both depression and anxiety, both in the high range and have had for about less then a year (maybe more). Lately, I've been struggling to get out of bed to go to school, like really struggling. I always wake up quite early and also go to bed quite early too but find myself being extremely tired, which I know is normal for depression. When I wake up for school I always dread the thought of seeing people and just being in an environment such as school. I hate sitting in a classroom all day and not even seeing my friends motivates me to go to school. Some days I drag myself to go to school but find myself leaving early because I just can't cope. I find that I can cope with the workload well and I get good marks, but its just the thought of school that makes me feel depressed. When I stay home from school, I find myself being content with the thought of being away from school but then always worry about if I am going to miss anything.

Obviously, I want to pass year 11 and I want to do well but I feel as though my depression and anxiety has taken over my life somewhat and is stopping me from doing what I love because i used to really like going to school! I find that I'm motivated to do just about anything else, whether it be exercise or seeing friends but its JUST SCHOOL that I don't like anymore. I'm not sure if it's because of the learning or because of seeing people, or maybe a mix but I hate that one part of me wants to do well in school but another part doesn't even want to go!

At the moment im seeing a GP, psycologist and im taking antidepressants all of which have slightly improved me (from what i can tell)

I really hope someone understands and could possibly help

Thankyou 🙂

[BillyBob23]

Hi Aude,

Let me start by saying how brave you are to put your feelings and emotions out there. It's always hard to get out whats inside, but I did the same on these forums last week, and I even found the next day I felt a little bit better. And it was a positive as I felt better than the day before.

Yes school has its ups and down, but the most important thing is that it can set you up for your future and where you want to go in life. I hated school too, and my parents went through a messy divorce when I was in my teens, but all I know I wanted to do was pass and give myself a chance at the best possible future.

I stuck at it and passed my Year 12, and even in my professional career I had to work even harder to get to where I wanted to be. Think of that feeling when you pass Year 11 and how good you will feel.

May I suggest watching a youtube video called 'Great By Choice - Jim Collins' and maybe you can work on your own 20 mile march.

Good luck!!

[Summer Rose]

Hey aude.g and welcome to the bb forum.

I am a mum who helped my daughter get to school each morning for years, whilst she dealt with a severe case of OCD and an anxiety disorder. I understand how hard it can be. I understand how tired you feel. I understand your conflicted emotions about attending school. I feel for you from the bottom of my heart.

One of the things my girl used to do was get straight out of bed and get moving. Sometimes a run, jumping jacks in her room or just straight into the shower. The idea was to move and "shake" off the fog. She also used to set realistic goals about attendance, depending on how she was feeling each day. It's nice to be on time, but it's okay to be late--some days it's just a win to get there. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself because it can make things harder.

You can also talk to school about setting up a safe place for you to go when you feel overwhelmed or feel like leaving. Could be the library or a private office of say the welfare officer. This was you can breath and try to collect yourself before you make the decision to leave. You may find that with a little time out you will be ready to resume your place in class.

There are lots of other ways your school can support you, too. You do, however, have to be willing to be open and honest with them. You don't have to worry about your privacy, they will keep things confidential. And they will help--they have a duty of care to support you and what you are experiencing is very common. Some schools are better than others at this but I'm confident that if you approach it with a willingness to try and a strong desire to access your education on a level playing field with your non-depressed/anxious peers you will succeed.

Of course you don't need to physically attend a school to graduate. There are ways to complete your education from home. My daughter considered leaving school but in the end decided to keep trying. She graduate two years ago in the top 25 per cent of the state and is now studying architecture at university. It gets better and it can be done.

If you want to talk some more, please post again. I learned a lot about navigating the school system whilst helping my daughter and would be happy to share all I know with you.

Kind thoughts to you