<p>I graduated high school recently and I've got college starting in 10 days. I have depression, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, OCD, panic disorder, PTSD, agoraphobia, and other random phobias so I think I'm as irrationally anxious as a person can get. What's bothering me the most is the panic disorder/agoraphobia, I'm counting on God and my self practices of cognitive behavioral therapy to simply keep me in the classroom without panicking. Then there's the homework, I cannot tolerate any external stress, I'm suffering bad enough simply watching TV all day. I can't concentrate at all on anything and I constantly have "visual distortion" if you will from anxiety and I feel a little light headed all the time, more so when I am in public. Simply knowing I had to get out of the house later to take a permit test the other day almost gave me a panic attack and I was nauseated all day.. how will I deal with the stress of having to go to school frequently and do homework? </p>
<p>In high school it was easier I wasn't struggling with agoraphobia til I graduated and I am ashamed to admit I would cheat on the homework and find a way to pass tests and graduated with good grades. Every year I would tell myself I was going to finish legit but I just can't focus and manage the stress at all. Reading is very difficult for me, I always read what's there but I have no comprehension and I have to very uncomfortably try very hard to focus on the words and comprehend. I have never taken medication before, but I am taking natural stress relievers, fish oil, I only drink water, I exercise, and I am also in therapy but I am still not feeling better. Right now I'm really dreading college and I'm telling myself I'll just man up and get through it, does anyone else have or have had this problem?</p>
<p>@joshuab, take a deep breath and think about this–are you really ready to start college in 10 days? (oops–3 days…, didn’t realize when you posted…) Your post sounds like likely you are not–in which case you need to speak with your parents about deferring admission and taking the time to get treatment for these disabling issues. I know there’s this expectation that everyone goes straight on to college–but it’s not the case. And going to school only to crash and burn is not going to help anything. My D1, who has GAD, social anxiety, mood disorder, ADD, took a gap year. She is still anxious about starting school this fall but much less than she would have been if she hadn’t taken the year to work on life and coping skills. </p>
<p>You also may want to consider medications–only you know the answer to that, but if your anxiety is this disabling it may be worth a try. Meds have really helped D1–still needed and needs CBT to learn how to manage anxiety, but the meds take enough of the edge off so the therapy can work.</p>
<p>Please find ways to take care of yourself and comminicate this to the adults in your life…and let me know how you are doing since it’s been a week since you posted. I regret that no one answered your post sooner…</p>
<p>Thanks no I don’t need to put it off, it’s a short semester and I am doing better with anxiety… I will just persevere for the semester and take a little bit of time off before I start again. CBT is helping me along with some other stuff. God has got this so I’m not too worried about it anymore, I will make it fun by talking to people and making friends</p>
<p>Joshuab: Consider that you have six bullets in your gun against anxiety(Therapy, meds, mental conditional/reconditioning, diet, exercise and sleep. If you’re willing to do it all, then college could be a nice little neutral zone while learning how to deal. It could very well be the ideal place to make a stand. Also a change of environment could be good. GL</p>
<p>If you haven’t already, you MUST contact the office for students with disabilities at your school. Today, my son and I met with the office at his college. The people were so helpful and understanding. My son is going to receive accommodations such as extended test time, quiet room to take exams, and someone to take notes for him in class. He can also go to a center any time that has computers and a place to hang out. There ARE things that can be done to help you. Please take advantage of these services!</p>
<p>Thank you but I don’t want to do that, I feel like that would be embarrassing, I’m gonna have to get used to it if I want to provide for a family in the future which scares me to death… I just need to get over the anxiety. I’m going to stop seeing my therapist and find a good one, the one I have stopped seeing is not good for me at all. The stress is awful and is putting me in depressed moods every day I come home from school, and the harder the homework is or more I have to do or the longer of a day I have the worse of a “screw this” attitude I get :(</p>
<p>@joshuab, asking for help is not a sign of weakness–and can help give you tools to overcome stress and anxiety. Find a new therapist BEFORE you stop seeing your current one, and access the supports that are available through the school, your family, community, etc. The best way for providing for your future is to get help now–not going it alone…</p>
<p>It’s okay to feel anxiety. It means that you care. I went to a one-month pre-college program and almost didn’t make it 'til the end because I was suffering with so much inner turmoil. The worst thing you can do when you have anxiety is to keep it to yourself. I honestly wish I would have told my professors sooner because when I did, it helped TREMENDOUSLY. She asked me, very kindly, “okay, what do you need?” I told her to give me any reading packets a few days in advance and I ended up getting two A’s. However, accommodations can come in many ways. You can have someone take notes for you during class or have a professor save a copy of notes, you could take tests in a separate room, get a tutor, etc. I come from a special education high school, so I have friends who get these accommodations daily and it helps them to succeed.
Also, if you do ask for accommodations, nobody is going to tell the world. They can find discreet ways to give you help. They don’t just parade around you or slap signs on your back that say “Disabled Man Walking.” They help and they care. Or, at least they should. I think you should definitely get help from your college’s LD services, and, if they are not capable of helping you for whatever reason, transfer immediately. You deserve to have a fair education.</p>
the stress got me really depressed today but I’m trying to take it one day at a time</p>