Getting my school to understand my declining mental health
Hi! So I was trying to think of a more subtle way into the topic but I've been suffering from social anxiety for the past few years and have just recently been noticing that I am experiencing symptoms of depression as well. Going to a grammar school (I'm in year 13), the academic pressures are pretty substantial. The problem with this is, I have zero motivation to revise or catch up on notes and I feel embarrassed of how little academic content I actually know. I have also been absent from school 5 days already this academic school year and I just feel as though my school thinks that I just can't be bothered. On my first day back to school (after being off for 3 consecutive days) I was immediately subjected to tests which I hadn't revised for as the days which I had off "ill" I was actually having panic attacks or just melting down in general. My parents don't understand my mental health despite me trying to explain to them what I'm going through and so I had to make them believe that I actually was feeling under the weather. I also feel as though I don't want to face teachers or students as that's when my anxiety likes to make an appearance which leads to me skipping lessons. In fact, I just received a 2 hour detention for skipping a maths lesson last Friday and my phone was confiscated by the same teacher who issued me a detention on the same day. I've now got myself into a situation where so many teachers are on my back asking me to catch up and do tests with them but idk it's like I've given up with school in some respects and I've given up with myself as well. Sometimes, I just want to burst out crying for no apparent reason or be on my own, away from public view and other times I feel emotionless like an empty vessel (deep I know) but there's no other way to say it. I feel self conscious about walking through public areas on my own as I feel like the other students think I'm a piss poor student for not turning up for so many lessons. I would tell a teacher in my school about my mental health but there's no-one that I would feel comfortable talking to about it and I'm not particularly keen on any of the heads of sixth form either. The only two support staff who actually had a heart have left now. What if they think that me telling them about my mental heath is some kind of excuse for my absence?
I do have one friend at school who I know would give me valuable advice as she's literally the most knowledgable and caring person you'll ever meet. However, I know she also suffers from depression as well and I also know that she's currently supporting a few more of her friends with mental heath guidance so I don't want to burden her or add onto her own problems.
I've recently been to some Mind sessions at my local centre but it didn't help me whatsoever (not saying that it won't help others as different treatments work for different people). I have also visited my gp to ask for antidepressants but he wasn't too sure about prescribing me any as they'd make me drowsy which I don't exactly need right now what with having very low energy levels. He mentioned about them also clashing with my anxiety as well. Was wondering if any of you suffer from both depression and anxiety and what you do to deal with it in your everyday life.
Anyways thanks for reading this literal essay and I apologise if it came across a little unorganised or waffly. If anyone has any advice or feedback on what I've written, I'd be extremely grateful. Thanks!
I do have one friend at school who I know would give me valuable advice as she's literally the most knowledgable and caring person you'll ever meet. However, I know she also suffers from depression as well and I also know that she's currently supporting a few more of her friends with mental heath guidance so I don't want to burden her or add onto her own problems.
I've recently been to some Mind sessions at my local centre but it didn't help me whatsoever (not saying that it won't help others as different treatments work for different people). I have also visited my gp to ask for antidepressants but he wasn't too sure about prescribing me any as they'd make me drowsy which I don't exactly need right now what with having very low energy levels. He mentioned about them also clashing with my anxiety as well. Was wondering if any of you suffer from both depression and anxiety and what you do to deal with it in your everyday life.
Anyways thanks for reading this literal essay and I apologise if it came across a little unorganised or waffly. If anyone has any advice or feedback on what I've written, I'd be extremely grateful. Thanks!
You can't face your peers or teachers because of your intellectual insecurity. You won't go into school or revise to build or work on it. You're stuck at a crossroads? First thing's first, figure out if you really are depressed. Then try and trace back as to why that might be; what has triggered it. Then graft with school work. I know it's not healthy but if you drown yourself in school work, with keeping yourself busy, and you get on top of that, maybe it'll be easier to deal with the other stuff.
