<p>I am an undergrad (senior) I have 15 courses to take before I graduate. Well, things have been going great since I first landed here in January. I am not the traditional undergrad. I am 26 years old and I have a young child with me (age 8). We both took to the area and have been getting around pretty easily. I've managed straight A's and my child is happy. However, I am not so well. I've been stricken with anxiety/panic attacks. This all started in April while I was in class and has been on and off up until now. I felt the worst towards the end of June. I have never ever experienced anything like this. I am about 93 miles away from home and I don't know anyone. I am living in a pretty rural area. This is my first time living alone. I moved from a city to this very rural area and I have yet to adjust to it.</p>
<p>I am a straight A student but I don't think that I can keep up my grades if I stay here. I am not well. Physically, I've broken out in rashes, I've experienced nausea, stomachaches, headaches, full body pains, anxiety, depression, loss of sleep etc.... I am not myself.</p>
<p>I came here with high expectations and full of ambition but honestly I feel uninspired and miserable here. I was happier taking courses at my local community college. I felt the A's were all easy to get without me really trying. I want a challenge and I want to learn something and I am not getting that while I am here. I realize that I might never get that.</p>
<p>So, I am contemplating moving. I've been here for 7 months already, almost 8 months and I have yet to adjust. I am thinking of renting an apartment in my hometown and transferring to another school. I might take 4 months off to get myself together. Being out here alone really messed me up and I hope that I can get back. I didn't realize it would be so tough living here. It is the living that is tough not the work. I don't like the area or my apartment and I feel really trapped.</p>
<p>Any ideas on what I should do? It's 4:10 AM as I type this.</p>
<p>**I will NOT be living at home or with my parents, I will be living in my own apartment.</p>
<p>I’m by no means an expert on this, but I do have experience with anxiety and from what you’re telling me, it sounds like professional help could be really useful for you. If your anxiety is manifesting itself in physical symptoms, it’s definitely worth it to see someone. Your school should have mental health services, and it’s really normal for college students to suffer from anxiety so they should hopefully have good programs in place. Last year, I joined an anxiety group with about 6 other students which was really helpful for me, but there are other options depending on what you’re dealing with.</p>
<p>What you describe sounds more serious than what a board full of college students can likely help you with, so I’d really suggest trying to see someone who specializes in what you’re dealing with. It’s been really successful for me, so I hope that you can give it a try. Especially since moving is a major decision, and if you start talking to a professional they can help you figure out if that’s the right choice.</p>
<p>Well first I would ask if you know what you are anxious or scared of?
What is causing you to have these attacks? Is it the lack of social exposure? Lack of family support? Money? etc.</p>
<p>If you don’t know, definitely go see help at school, in many cases its free for students. They can help you get to the bottom of this and help you make important life decisions.</p>
<p>I think once you figure out why you are having these issues, it might be easier to figure out what your next step should be.</p>
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I think it’s the lack of family support that is really doing it for me. I have money and I am pretty comfortable. It all started off with an immense feeling of loneliness and then me really taking my surroundings it. It just all hit me at once that I am in a new town, different setting, and miles away from my family. I don’t drive either so it’s not like I can just pick up and go so I feel a bit trapped here.</p>
<p>I just worry that I am missing out on everything. I am worried that I will lose my family (specifically my mother) and be stuck out here with nothing/no one to come back to. I want to stick it out since I am so close to from hopefully I can do it. I am motivated now to work quickly so I can get back to my hometown.</p>
<p>I think I will check out university services. An anxiety group sounds like something that I’d be interested in. I know that just being around people that understand how I feel would help me out a lot.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>