Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
I decided to take a medical leave from college mid-semester. I made the decision with the help of my mom and my therapist, who both thought it would be a good idea.
All semester, I have felt so disconnected from everything. I have not been able to function well cognitively- my memory is poor, I have no concentration or focus, and constantly feel detached. I suspect I have depression as well, because my motivation to do anything (even clean my apartment) has been low. My sleep patterns have started to become weird where I will go to bed around 10, no problem, but wake up 5 hours later, at 3AM wide awake and unable to go back to sleep.
I also have OCD and obsessions have been out of control. I have developed paranoid fears, like someone is spying on me in my computer. I also have a past with anorexia and starting the semester, my weight was at a low point. But through all the anxiety I have been having over the past couple months, my weight dropped a couple pounds.
This was the first semester of my senior year, and I know my increased anxiety has something to do with that. Also, I have been working on a research project and am worried I won't measure up. The thing that hurt me the most, and fueled my decision to take a medical leave, was that I LOVE school - I am a psychology major, and love what I study. And I felt like this semester, I have not been in a healthy place to enjoy it at all. I was just getting by, and I want to feel alive and not so disconnected like I have been.
My mom and therapist say that as long as I use this time to seek help, I am not a failure. They are both encouraging me to seek help for my eating disorder, since my weight is very low right now. I feel like the anxiety and OCD are bigger problems, but part of me knows that poor physical health = poor mental health, and that I can't adequately address the mental issues til I am well physically. I am just so afraid to gain weight (part of my problem, I know).
I just really feel like I have failed completely. I worry what people at school, the professors and other students, will think of me. I feel like maybe I could've stuck it through, maybe I should have, to save money. I lost out on some financial aid because of my decision. I just told my dad yesterday, and he was upset. Which makes me feel even more like a failure.
Sorry for this. I just needed a place to rant. Thank you for anyone who was kind enough to take the time to read.
All semester, I have felt so disconnected from everything. I have not been able to function well cognitively- my memory is poor, I have no concentration or focus, and constantly feel detached. I suspect I have depression as well, because my motivation to do anything (even clean my apartment) has been low. My sleep patterns have started to become weird where I will go to bed around 10, no problem, but wake up 5 hours later, at 3AM wide awake and unable to go back to sleep.
I also have OCD and obsessions have been out of control. I have developed paranoid fears, like someone is spying on me in my computer. I also have a past with anorexia and starting the semester, my weight was at a low point. But through all the anxiety I have been having over the past couple months, my weight dropped a couple pounds.
This was the first semester of my senior year, and I know my increased anxiety has something to do with that. Also, I have been working on a research project and am worried I won't measure up. The thing that hurt me the most, and fueled my decision to take a medical leave, was that I LOVE school - I am a psychology major, and love what I study. And I felt like this semester, I have not been in a healthy place to enjoy it at all. I was just getting by, and I want to feel alive and not so disconnected like I have been.
My mom and therapist say that as long as I use this time to seek help, I am not a failure. They are both encouraging me to seek help for my eating disorder, since my weight is very low right now. I feel like the anxiety and OCD are bigger problems, but part of me knows that poor physical health = poor mental health, and that I can't adequately address the mental issues til I am well physically. I am just so afraid to gain weight (part of my problem, I know).
I just really feel like I have failed completely. I worry what people at school, the professors and other students, will think of me. I feel like maybe I could've stuck it through, maybe I should have, to save money. I lost out on some financial aid because of my decision. I just told my dad yesterday, and he was upset. Which makes me feel even more like a failure.
Sorry for this. I just needed a place to rant. Thank you for anyone who was kind enough to take the time to read.
As a side note, I think it's really cool that you are a psychology major. I think that having gone through (or currently are going through) OCD, anxiety and eating disorder will put you in a place of really helping others in the future, if that makes sense.
I think taking this time for you is a great thing so once you are ready to go back to school, you will be able to put your all into it.
Its a huge battle for her, I can tell. I can also tell you though that I am so proud of her for doing the things she is doing in order to get her life back on track.
It takes someone who is truly brave to take those steps.
I know from watching her that if she hadnt gotten help and continued on the path she was going she would probably be dead by now. Anorexia and anxiety are so hard but I honestly think that you are doing the right thing!
Your health is the most important thing and only when you are able to address the mental health issues you are having will your body begin to heal. all the best to you.