TeenHelp - I hate going to school and need advice.

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I hate going to school and need advice.

For a long time now, I have been having a problem with truancy, and people are starting to notice something. I have also been having problems with depression and anxiety, but I can't tell if the two things are related.

It isn't because I can't keep up, or because I'm not smart, I am. I can't really explain it. I just hate going. I have friends, I don't have any problems with bullying or anything along those lines, but I have had some problems as I mentioned before about depression, which some people have noticed, but I don't mind.

It's not even just certain subjects, I just hate everything about it, and I refuse to see a counselor or talk to my parents, because I am worried they will chuck me into a psychiatric institution again, which has compulsory schooling. As it is, I can't handle going to school more than two days a week, and even then, I need a very intense sugar high just to keep me looking focused.

I know I can't keep this up, and I just really need some advice on how to either get out of school for a while, or just how to fix this.

Re: I hate going to school and need advice.

Hey Emily (and welcome to TeenHelp!)

Depression, anxiety and the affects they have on us are often related. If we are anxious about something, we might try and avoid it and then become depressed. If we are depressed, we might lose interest in things and avoid doing things instead. Sometimes there are factors that might contribute to how we feel e.g. bullying, not getting on with teachers, not having friends that might explain why we feel anxious and depressed about school. But sometimes it's possible to just feel depressed and anxious without any 'reason' as such. Either way, it's clear that this is affecting your life and you do deserve to get help and support.

I'm sorry to hear that you feel you can't see a counsellor or talk to your parents because you are worried about ending up in a psychiatric institution again. It sounds like you've had negative experiences in the past and it's understandable you'd be wary about reaching out for help again. That said, your parents and other professionals do want to help you. How would you feel about trying to reach out for help again?

I'm wondering if you can talk a bit more about what it is that you don't like about school? Are you bored by it? Do you dislike the structure or routine? You mention that you feel you need a 'sugar high' to keep you focussed and I'm wondering if you have difficulty focusing on the work?

When it comes to depression and anxiety, as much as we'd like to avoid things, it won't help in the long term. In order to overcome the depression and anxiety, we have to take small steps to do things that we are avoiding. Going to school for at least two days a week is a good start! Maybe you can slowly increase this to two and half and over time, three days a week and so on. Doing things when we don't feel like it can actually help us to feel a bit better.

People may be noticing that you aren't yourself or aren't in school, because they care and I'm sure they want to help. Maybe you can talk to your parents and teachers and try to come up with an agreement that you can attend school half of the week, and do the rest of the week's work at home, until you feel more able to go back fully? While treatment for mental health issues can feel unpleasant at times, it should still feel empowering to you and let you have some say in what works for you.

Hope this helps a bit :)

Re: I hate going to school and need advice.

Why not to take a rest from school? Take a fake sick paper and do what you love to do for a while. Travel somewhere or don't get up from your couch. I had a similar problem and my solution was travelling to Florida for 2 months.

I wasn't worrying about classes beecause I built up a strategy. One guy was covering me by doing my homework. I felt refreshed and well-rested when I came back. Anxiety gone and I never felt it again. Maybe you just need to recharge yourself.

Re: I hate going to school and need advice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jarvisss (Post 1329341)

Resting can be helpful but it's best to do this with help from the school. The OP can talk to their teachers and get a medical note from the doctor to explain they are depressed and anxious and perhaps the school can allow them time off, though they will need to catch up on work. Faking a sick note and getting others to cover for you will only lead to more trouble, especially since in some countries skipping school is an offence that parents have to pay for.

School can create some stress and anxiety, but sometimes it's not as simple as being able to take a break or a holiday to 'cure' the anxiety. Resting is important but it's also important to take small steps to overcome the anxiety as well, and not just avoid it and hope it goes away.

Re: I hate going to school and need advice.

I agree with Holly. Depression and anxiety can play a major role when it comes to things like school and such. I had a similar problem. I had to bring snacks to class to eat and help me focus, but it didn't entirely help. And I'm no professional, however If you have difficulty paying attention, maybe that could be a sign of ADHD? Like I said, I'm no professional but it just sounds like a symptom.

Anyways, I think what may help to stay focus is to get a planner. Plan what classes you have and the assignments for each class.

Hope this helped in some way. :)