Taking a year out of university

Hi guys

I’m in my third year of a (pretty rigorous) course at university. My first couple of years have gone great, both personally and academically, but this year has been a trainwreck.

I’ve had severe anxiety in the past which fortunately vanished right before university, and I thought it was finally gone for good. However at the start of this year it returned of the blue and has been unrelenting ever since. This is triggering severe migraines that have left me unable to function on a day to day basis.

I’ve sought medical help for the anxiety, which unfortunately hasn’t helped, so I’m considering taking the rest of the year out to let the anxiety subside and to explore some possible treatments for the migraines.

This all sounds very sensible on paper, but in all honestly I’m so devastated that the anxiety attacks have returned that I’m really reluctant to ‘admit defeat’ and take a year out, especially after how hard I had to fight to overcome the anxiety to get to university in the first place. But I’m so far behind with lectures and such a mess that a year out is really looking like the only option.

Has anyone taken a year out? Did it help? Or did you find it just derailed you even further?

Any experience and wisdom is hugely appreciated, and I hope you have a great week.