School Stress

[Guest_00430881]

So I'm in year 12 and have been feeling rather stuck lately. I'm in a bit of a paradox where I need to take time for myself but also feel like I have no time to spare. The workload is really getting to me; I've been feeling mentally exhausted, brain foggy, irritable, emotional, and drained despite actively excersising, sleeping 8-10 hours, eating fruits and vegetables etc. Went to the doctor about this late last year and had my bloods done which were all good, so I'm fairly certain this all stems from stress. I just feel a bit hopeless when I'm trying to do everything right but still feel really terrible, tired, headachey and SO behind. I've been making plans and breaking down tasks but when I go to do my work it's like my brain just shuts off, refuses and hurts. I understand that this is likely a natural stress response where my brain identifies my work as a threat to avoid but I don't know how to get it to stop, or at least make it better. I try deep breathing, practising gratitude, challenging negative thoughts and still feel stuck. I've spent many hours looking into why I feel this way and what to do about it yet I'm still stuck. While I know this year does not define me, I still feel pressure knowing that it sets me up for the rest of my life. I'm a bit of an academic, I'm doing methods, chemistry, biology and physics, which I managed to get an A in last year so I know that I'm capable. It just feels so much harder this year though, and like it's just too much to handle, especially on top of the UCAT because I aspire to get into medicine which is insanely competitive, and now I worry I can't do it. I just fear burning out, or even getting really sick again. (I had shingles and glandular fever in year 9 because I stressed myself into illness, according to my doctor.) Then there's part of me that worries if I'm just feeding into a placebo effect where I'm actually fine but am choosing to be this way, I don't know if that sounds silly or makes much sense but I do worry about it.. I don't know, my head just hurts really bad, my brain refuses to brain, I feel like I'll never catch up and that my dreams are out of reach. Some days I just don't want to get out of bed and sometimes it can get to the point that basic tasks and my own interests/ hobbies feel like too much effort and it physically makes my head hurt. Yeah, I feel really stuck and like I'm struggling quite a bit... I don't know what to do...

[audiology]

Hey there! First of all - welcome to the forums and thanks for taking the time to unload all that - it's incredibly clear that you've got a lot of pressure on you atm! First things first - it's 100% ok to give yourself a break, which is the main thing I see missing from the huge list of things you've tried. Yes year 12 is important but it's also important to remember that it doesn't 100% set up your entire future like it once did. 

Ok for the advice - the first thing would be to ask if you've spoken to your school counsellor or any form of therapist about what you're going through? If not I 100% think that is the first thing you should do to help unpack a lot of the stress you're going through. ANd yes I've noticed a lot of the terminology you've used in regards to how you've attempted to manage your stress and in case you're thinking you're already doing all the things a counsellor/therapist might suggest so what's the point in seeing one - I can guarantee you there is a major difference and impact between actually talking to someone and researching the things they might suggest and completing on your own. 

Secondly - I see you've had glandular fever previously, which unfortunately can be a trigger for chronic fatigue syndrome (formally known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis). It might be worth enquiring with your GP if you are concerned your symptomatology matches up with that. I only suggest this as a possibility as I myself have battled with CFS for over 10 years now so know it really well - but I promise you this is a very rare/slim possibility, I only mention it as an extremely outside possibility. 

[Psychdiaries2]

Hi there,

Welcome to the forums, I'm so glad you've found us!

I understand how stressful year 12 is just having done it 2 years ago myself. It is totally valid to feel how you do with the heavy work load and stress. You have a lot on your plate right now, and it is understandable to feel exhausted. 

It's awesome to see that you have some really great coping strategies like deep breathing, gratitude, challenging negative thoughts, etc. Keep practising those because I use them in my day-today life and I know how helpful they are. I agree with audiology that speaking to your school psychologist sounds like a great idea. I would also like to suggest speaking with your year level coordinator too to let them know what's going on and hopefully they can provide some guidance. 

Do you have study hall at school? I always felt like I could be super productive in there in a quiet room amongst everyone also getting work done. You can also try setting a timer on your phone, for example 20 minutes and set a goal to get a certain number of questions done and see if you can achieve it. I know it's overwhelming to have a lot to do everyday, and you've done the right thing by breaking down the tasks into smaller chunks, but maybe see if this helps too. 

It can be so easy when we're stressed in the moment to start worrying about the future and worry that we won't be able to achieve what we want to. Just because you're feeling stressed right now, does not limit your capacity to get into medicine in the future. You sound very hardworking and academic. Try to focus on the present by prioritising your subjects and study. I'm positive it will pay off. I have even heard of people who didn't get into medicine right after year 12 end up trying again and getting into it a few years later. There are so many roundabout ways to get where you want to be. I remember worrying and feeling scared that I was not going to go to uni because I was stressed out and struggling with my mental health. But fast forward to now, and I'm in my second year! Anything is possible. 

Lastly, take some time to take a step back and rest. I know school holidays are coming up soon so please take a little break before jumping back into study. I hope you do things that you love too. I used to read for a bit before bed or watch a show to wind down for a little while. I think taking these small steps to rest will help you in the long run. I promise you, you're not alone in what you're feeling. Feel free to write back anytime, we're here to support you!

Warm wishes,

Psychdiaries