medical leave?

ImSoTired

Member
Hello, this is my first post.
I'm at my last year of college and it's been quite an exhausting and unpleasant experience. I'm stressed every morning when I wake up, I'm nauseous and my heart already begins to pound. I'm stressed not solely over school, but with all the other worries in my life as well.

I've been thinking about it and heard of a similar story of a student who took a break from school because of a serious nutritional deficiency... but I was just curious whether anyone has actually been recommended by their doctor, therapist, psychiatrist or any expert to take a temporary medical leave from work and/or school because of your high anxiety and possible learning disabilities that come with anxiety? If so, has it helped in anyway?

....I really wish I could take time off even though I'm 6 months away from graduation because it's getting harder to concentrate and motivate myself to do assignments, read a chapter in a textbook (I start crying out of frustration and anger), participate vocally, make friends, stay awake and enjoy the fruits of my labor. But my family and friends recommend me to finish for the sake of getting done with school, and I can somehow be proud of myself for this accomplishment. I've been receiving good grades, but I've lost that feeling of success and pride...the glory quickly fades and it's no big deal because I've been selecting classes that I thought I could deal with and seem less challenging.

I've been diagnosed while I was in the hospital a few years ago, yet I still haven't made the first steps of seeking professional help. This is because I'm even scared of what the therapist would think of me, I'm anxious about the entire process, and I'm not financially stable (I'm a full-time student with questionable insurance and who is not working). My parents are still supporting me which makes me feel guilty. They know I'm a little off and shy, but are not familiar with Social Anxiety. I have a feeling they think my mental and behavioral processes are something that will eventually go away with some fresh air or some simple remedy. They come from different cultures so such maladaptive behaviors may not be something they can comprehend.

If I do begin therapy, I'm not so certain I can keep up with school at the same time. It's tough now...I can't enjoy my free time...Today is saturday and I'm freaking out! Thanks for reading this.
 

ignisfatuus

Well-known member
This is kind of ironic coming from me, but if I were you, I'd finish. My performance in school was all over the place, ranging from 90%+ to the 50s. And I'm in a particularly hellish position right now, with six credits remaining before I finish. It's been like this for three years (or is it four?); I just can't finish those last two courses. I've taken and dropped six or seven courses since then and just haven't been able to complete them. This intense aversion to evaluation has crippled me to the point where I agonise over every sentence to the point that any assignment I attempt ends up coming out exactly the opposite of what I intended. So I'm sitting here, with those two courses hanging above me accusingly, on the verge of dropping them again.

This has unintentionally turned into a "me" post :wink: Anyways, if you have made it this far, and have been able to persevere through the conformist grind to this point, try to summon up whatever reserves you can muster and see it through. It's much less wearing on the spirit then having that last little bit haunting you.
 
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