I can't go to school because I'm too anxious but not going is ruining my life, please help.

[Guest_234]

My term 4 of year 12 started today, I'm nearly 18 and I've don't nothing but cry, over sleep/ not sleep at all and panic for the past 2 months.

I've always had anxiety and this year I finally received actually attempts at help from my school and the local hospital, but ever since this I've just felt worse and worse and now I can't even handle going to school, putting on my uniform makes me panic and all I can do is strip and cry in bed. I really want to go to uni because I enjoy learning and I want to be able to help people, but the actual act of going to school for 7hrs and talking to people and being looked at and being seen as lazy or undeserving of my marks or even to be taught by my teachers for being away all the time have just been making going impossible.

I'm really not sure what to do I'm just so overwhelmed.

[solabear]

Sounds like your having a really tough time, and I feel for you. You said you got help from hospital, are you on medication? or do you receive counselling? Anxiety is a killer, especially when it's combined with depression. Sometimes it's so bad that we can't help ourselves without the appropriate help. Medication can help you feel more stable so you can help yourself. I'm urging you to see a GP......book a long appointment.

I hope this helped and I'm here to listen.

hugs from Sola

[MsPurple]

Hello and welcome to the forums

Solabear has given you great advice regarding seeing your GP for a long appointment. That is what I did. When I booked I also said it was for a mental health plan so when I saw the GP they knew what it was for and I couldn't avoid the topic (I had booked a few appointments and chickened out of discussing my mental health). I also told someone I had booked an appointment so they made sure I went.

I see you have discussed some of the issues with your school and with the hospital. Have you heard of headspace. It is a youth mental health service and they have numerous locations around Australia. I went to one when I was at uni. I was also a part of CAMHS (child and adolescent mental health services) when I was young, but I wanted to try something different and headspace worked for me. There are also other local youth mental health services around, just google your local area and youth mental health (e.g. xxx qld youth mental health services).

As with uni you can cross that bridge when you get there and I'm sure you will. You sound determined and coming to the forums shows you are really trying to overcome your struggles and meet your goals. With Uni however they have services called disability services and if you have a mental illness you can join them. I did and they were really good. They can help you with academic care plans, counselling service, extensions etc. They also will not show any stigma and they will not say to your course coordinator why you joined disability services (for all they know you could have type 1 diabetes). Now with year 12 I would discuss with your counsellor regarding special consideration (I also did one at uni, as I was diagnosed with an illness the day before my exam and was worried I wouldn't perform). This allows the examiner to know you were going through tough circumstances and they can take this into account with their grading. Not sure exactly how it works but it is a good safety net. I would see if you could talk to your year level coordinator about it.

Hope some of this advice has helped.

MP

[HeyIts_Bethie]

Hi, I am going through the exact same thing.

I am in grade 10 right now in the second term and it's ruining my life. It started in grade nine when I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression and it just kept getting worse and worse from there. I got medication but then I started not going to school at all and I still can't. I just freeze up and can't move. my parents are really disappointed in me but I can't do anything about it.

and yes I have a therapist but nothing is working.

I'm starting to lose hope.

[Sophie_M]

Hi HeyIts_Bethie,

I'm really sorry to hear that you've been having so many difficulties with our anxiety and depression, and it must be really hard to want to do all these things but feeling too anxious to do so.

Even though you feel like it's not too helpful at the moment, it's good to hear that you are seeing a therapist and also reaching out on our forums for support. A lot of our posters here have been through similar situations and a really big theme that has been talked about a lot in recovery is that there are definitely times when we will feel very lost and hopeless, but that there is always support out there and hope for things to change.

If you would like to talk more about what's going on, please feel free to keep chatting on the forums or call us on our 24/7 helpline at 1300 22 4636. You can also talk to mental health professionals specifically for young people with Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or on the forums at ReachOut: https://forums.au.reachout.com/