Feeling bad about taking time off school because mental illness
I’m just going to rant a bit I’ve got my GCSEs and school didn’t give anyone study leave, but due to my mental illness they have given me study leave but not anyone else (I missed content at bcs I spent time at hospital & tbf I didn’t revise a lot before GCSEs bcs I thought I wouldn’t love long enough to do it) . The thing is my dad asked for it and there are other students with mental health issues but they’re not getting study leave idk why. I feel really bad and I think people are school are annoyed at me now bcs they don’t get it also none of them know about my mental health, when they ask how I got it I just say I’m ill so to them it looks like I’m lying bcs at school I act perfectly fine given that I don’t want people to know that I’m mentally ill. Also I think some of my friend are annoyed to, the reason I didn’t tell anyone because the last time someone in my school took time off because of anxiety everyone in the school knew about her health and some people even said they wish they had anxiety so they could miss school basically mocking her. One of my ‘friends’ were one of those people so I just kept quite. Also another issue when I came out of hospital bcs of the ilness the school expected me to be straight back in school so skipped the days before my exam saying I was vomiting which was a lie so I could revise (but I was mentally I’ll but my school just didn’t care) my friends know this so now I think they think I’m just lying abt being I’ll so I can get study leave. Sorry for the long post I just feel down. Also the thing about my ilness is that it only comes in like ‘episodes’ which can last from hours to days or weeks, when I’m not in the ‘episode’ I feel perfectly fine it just comes at me randomly. Bcs of this I just feel like a imposter if ykwm , during the episodes it drives me to do very bad things to myself but it always comes to an end and then I’m complete fine
Original post by Anonymous
I’m just going to rant a bit I’ve got my GCSEs and school didn’t give anyone study leave, but due to my mental illness they have given me study leave but not anyone else (I missed content at bcs I spent time at hospital & tbf I didn’t revise a lot before GCSEs bcs I thought I wouldn’t love long enough to do it) . The thing is my dad asked for it and there are other students with mental health issues but they’re not getting study leave idk why. I feel really bad and I think people are school are annoyed at me now bcs they don’t get it also none of them know about my mental health...
It sounds like a difficult thing to be dealing with alongside preparing for GCSEs. I just want you to know that your problems are valid. It's difficult not to compare ourselves to others, but equality doesn't always just mean everyone being given the same. The school giving you this time off, I'm guessing, is their way of helping give you the same opportunity to pass your exams as your peers, given what you are struggling with at the moment. Also, we can often have a tendency to feel guilty if we see our own problems as 'not as bad' as someone else's, almost like we don't deserve to be feeling as bad as we do because other people 'have it worse'. Again, I want you to know this is not the case. How you are feeling is valid. It might not always be understood by others, and you are not obliged to tell people what you are going through, though it can be helpful to talk to a trusted friend or family member about how you are feeling sometimes. You've been given this time off for a reason, and sometimes when we are vulnerable, we may need to accept help from others. It's not to say you are weaker than anyone else. We all need extra help sometimes and that's OK!
None of this is your fault, the cirumstances you are in just can't be helped. At this point the best thing you can do is just try your best to be in school for your exams, but remember that your mental health comes first and the grades you get in the end don't at all define you.
You have just as much right as anyone else to take the time you need to put your mental health first, including taking study leave, and that isn't anyone else's business really. If they have an issue with that, they aren't being a good friend to you. GCSEs are a difficult time for every student, so just make sure you are 100% putting yourself first.
You have just as much right as anyone else to take the time you need to put your mental health first, including taking study leave, and that isn't anyone else's business really. If they have an issue with that, they aren't being a good friend to you. GCSEs are a difficult time for every student, so just make sure you are 100% putting yourself first.
Consider seeking a school counselor
You can get support and there is a lot of support out there such as:
-The Samaritans, you can call 116 123, which is available 24 hours a day
-Mind, 0300 123 3393
-Saneline, 0300 304 7000, from 4.30pm-10.30pm
-The mix, 0800 808 4994, 11am-11pm
-SHOUT, text 852258, 24 hour text service
-Crises, 741741, text service
-Papyrus, 0800 068 4141, if you have thoughts of suicide or in emotional distress
-Rethink mental health, 0300 5000 927
-No Panic, 0800 138 8889
-relate, they have a chat advisor
There is the mind forum
Also Facebook groups
You can join support groups
You can contact a crises team if things get very bad
Plenty of resources online, information regarding well being
You can get support and there is a lot of support out there such as:
-The Samaritans, you can call 116 123, which is available 24 hours a day
-Mind, 0300 123 3393
-Saneline, 0300 304 7000, from 4.30pm-10.30pm
-The mix, 0800 808 4994, 11am-11pm
-SHOUT, text 852258, 24 hour text service
-Crises, 741741, text service
-Papyrus, 0800 068 4141, if you have thoughts of suicide or in emotional distress
-Rethink mental health, 0300 5000 927
-No Panic, 0800 138 8889
-relate, they have a chat advisor
There is the mind forum
Also Facebook groups
You can join support groups
You can contact a crises team if things get very bad
Plenty of resources online, information regarding well being
