going back to school after a year out of school

[wafflesalex]

help i am a 14 year old trans boy i was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder when i was 13 i left school around that time because i was refusing to go to school but now im almost 15 and i need to go back to school so i am getting help from CAMHs to get me back into school i am on anxiety meds and seeing a therapist but i am still extremely scared and i often have panic attacks from thinking about it i am so scared an i dont know what to do please help

[SarahLulu]

Hi wafflesalex, or just Alex is it?

I'm 16 years old and too suffer from anxiety I also have depression. I missed a lot of school last year (maybe 3 months all up) so not a year but I too was daunted with the fact that I must return. Alex, please listen to me, that inititial shock of returning to school.. it will subside. You're meds and therapist will help you and they're will be school counsellors too. Have you spoken to the school counsellors. Mine offered to return to school part time. So a few different thoughts here.

• Start by returning for one day a week then build it up to two and then three the next week.
• Or you could also start with three days but one class a day go sit in the counsellors office.
• Or go head on and have the opportunity to come in and out of class, have a 'safe spot' that you can go too when class gets to overwhelming. Take a friend or go alone and make sure to let the teacher know.

It all works out, best of luck x