School and anxiety

[BigRed16]

My anxiety makes school terrible. I'm terrible in social situations and have social anxiety. Being in a social situation for a good part of the day sucks. Whenever my anxiety gets really bad I usually end up making a fool of myself. I'll speak my thoughts out loud or do things I don't mean to. Could this be a sign of dissociation? And one way to stop making a fool of myself is to hold water in my mouth, so I don't have to worry about talking accidentally. I was also wondering if this was a problem. Does holding the water in my mouth for a long period of time make bacteria build up in my mouth and does this have any negative effects? Any answers would be much appreciated, thanks

[hocus pocus]

Hey,

I know how tough anxiety can be when you're in school. If you feel anxious, make sure you focus on your breathing. Some schools can be rather accommodating of mental illness and I think it may help if you consider speaking to your counselor about this to see if he or she has any suggestions. If your counselor feels it is necessary, they can make exceptions for you. One example would be a flash pass (some schools have these available). Rules may vary but you're given a pass and a set amount of time out of class. During this time there are things you're supposed to do such as visit your nurse or counselor to talk through the anxiety. Don't be afraid to reach out for help if you need it!

At the same time I think increased exposure to what makes you anxious can help you as well.

As for dissociation, your previous thread has some advice and it may help to read this again for a refresher!

I don't know about the health risks (if any) associated with holding water in your mouth for an extended period of time. However, I can't see this as being too comfortable and I think you would benefit more if you refrained from doing that.

[Celyn]

Hi there,

Having social anxiety and being in school can be hard. Try to do the breathing exercises at the start of the day, before you go to school and if possible before/during social situations. This will help you to keep calm and may help to keep you “grounded”. When I was anxious before school, I found that listening to some music helped. It doesn’t necessarily have to be calming music; I listened to my favourite songs.

Are you having counselling at all? I also agree with Cassie about the flash pass, but try to remain in the situations that make you anxious. Also, try to remember that even though anxiety can feel pretty horrible, that’s all it is, feelings. It can’t hurt you. Staying in a situation even though you are anxious helps to realise this.

Speaking your thoughts out loud and doing things you didn’t mean to can be signs of dissociation. But again, as Cassie said, your previous thread has help there

I’m also not sure of any consequences of holding water in your mouth for a long time. Could you perhaps chew gum instead?

Take care