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TDS scared to start school

mrflowers00

mrflowers00

Ex-Bluelighter
Joined
May 23, 2010
Messages
3,697
Location
santa rosa, CA
i just applied to the local junior college the other morning but i'm very anxious to actually start the culinary program for one i've been out of school for years now and i'm not sure how hard it'll be for me and two i'm worried about being around so many people because i have panic attacks and i hear voices and i'm very depressed and i don't want to seem crazy around a bunch of people like that
 
start going to the library now, and get used to it. go walk around. make the school familiar to you.

generally over the summers the schools are relatively empty so it is easy to acclimatize
 
Congratulations :)

I get really anxious in my classes too and especially around people.

At the moment I can't recall- are you currently taking any medications to control your panic attacks and the voices?
 
Woo!
Its so awesome that you are taking this leap, man.
As scary as the situation is, you have still reached out and applied yourself, which shows your courage, strength and strive to make a change.
<3
 
thanks everyone and yes rx prn i am medicated for all my ailments but some aren't very effective and the ones that are i have too high of a tolerance to and always run out early
 
Hey dude that's awesome! Congrats for taking that step!
Try not to worry about how it'll go too much, take it one day at a time - you'll deal with it once you're there. Starting at a new school/university/job is always stressful and borderline terrifying but it's never as bad as we imagine. Just enjoy it! :)
 
That can be scary stuff. I know you can get through it though and I think it'll be something that will be good for you as well. One thing you might want to consider if you're able to is to go light your first semester with your class load. I found school a lot less stressful to get back into when I eased myself into it a bit.
 
First, congratulations on going back to school! :)

Second, I'm sure it would help to talk to your doctor about the anxiety you're afraid you might have in the event of being around a large number of people.

Best of luck at school! I'm sure you'll do just fine.
 
Its good your going to school but dont get to over exited. Culinary school is not like carrying a full load at a regular jc having to do book reports, group projects, and presintations. You'll probley be in a low key enviroment
 
Again, congratulations mrflowers, that's really kickass news - glad to hear it!

I really liked the suggestion above about immersing yourself in a library setting before diving back into school - libraries are such unassuming places, but still relatively close-quartered which will give you a chance to observe and be observed without much of a chance at all that anything "bad" or "uncomfortable" will go down.

My thoughts are that your anxieties are representations of healthy stress, or eustress (versus distress), which actually plays a crucial role in our well-being and emotional balance. I think that you are going to, very soon, be completely surprised by how much of a positive impact going back to school and being around fellow students is going to have on your symptoms - most especially your depression!

I'm excited for you, man! =D

~ Vaya
 
kaywholed said:
start going to the library now, and get used to it. go walk around. make the school familiar to you.

generally over the summers the schools are relatively empty so it is easy to acclimatize
Click to expand...

That is really good advice!:)

Another thing that you might do is to go to the counseling center and make an appointment with a counselor. Although they are academic counselors they might also be able to point you to some resources that could help you when you get stressed, help you develop strategies ahead of time and otherwise just support you.

I'm really happy that you are doing this for yourself.<3
 
I had similar fears when I went to college after being out of school for a long time and I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed it. Being in school as an adult who is choosing to be there is SO different from going to high school where you aren't really there by choice and you tend to face more difficulties from other students, teachers, etc. When I went to college I actually made a great friend and didn't feel judged by anyone. Who knows what will happen for you but I think it's mostly fear of the unknown that makes us overly anxious and really I think that is pointless because we can't predict what will happen, and worrying so much about it only makes it worse. Although not stressing over things we can't predict or control is a lot easier said than done of course :)

I like kaywholed's idea of visiting the school before you have to start attending. Maybe there are some other things like that you can brainstorm that could make you feel a little more comfortable? For example, if you, say, have to catch the bus there and are worried about that, check out the bus schedule and try catching the bus to see what it's like and if it arrives on time. Stuff like that.
 
mrflowers00 said:
i'm also scared that when i graduate i won't do good at my job
Click to expand...

I used to fear the same thing, but then I remembered that I am in school for a reason- to learn and get better at something.

Take advantage of the time you have now in school!

<3
 
I had anxiety as well during my first semester. I would get so nervous about finding a parking space, getting to class on time.
Even walking to class, like accidently bumping into people. It's normal I guess, you will adjust and don't worry about not being
successful in your career. I think you will be fine and don't let your fears hold you back.
 
mrflowers00 said:
i'm also scared that when i graduate i won't do good at my job
Click to expand...

"You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don't take." - Wayne Gretzky

Life itself is uncertain; it's well-worn trails are laden with uncertainties. Being uncertain leads to anxiety; this chain of reality to internal state is not unique to any one person. But anxiety, by and large, is the assumption that the worst will happen. And - just for today - there is no hard-and-fast reason to suspect the worst.

In fact, it will really benefit you to focus on re-entering school and how exciting that is!
What use is it to you to be fearing when it's over before it has even begun?

Slow up the pace, my man. Breathe - for there are reasons to be happy. Right here, right now. But you've gotta be here, too. Not several years down the road!
 
mrflowers: I can completely understand your fear/ anxiety. Even after years of cognitive therapy, I still find myself getting this reflexive fear every time I have to do something new and - particularly- in public.

However- there is a tried and true method to disassemble your fear: write out on paper (or here (even better IMHO)) the WORST case scenario that you think that may transpire this semester at culinary school. Write it out in some detail- not only "I'm going to fail", but try to get specific about some of the things you're afraid of, that generate anxiety. Remember- this is the worst case scenario. I guarantee- when you look at your words on paper/screen- you'll realize that most of those things are NOT going to happen. I do this when I'm feeling anxious, and once I see my fears staring at me in letters....they lose some of their power. My rational mind can now look at them. Physiologically- my forebrain is examining them instead of my primitive brain.

Another thing. You are projecting your present thoughts into a future situation. You're expectations are pure fantasy. I've never once walked into a situation that worked out EXACTLY like I thought it would. Never. There was also little annoying shit I had to deal with, as well as nuggets of unexpected gold.

SO: if you're going to be projecting a fantasy into the future- have you considered turning your fantasy around a little bit? Right now you're probably seeing all the bad things that COULD happen. But what about the GOOD things that could happen? What if you make an unexpected friend? What if you expose a talent that, until now, has been hidden from you? What if this serves as a springboard to a cool career? All those things are possible too, right?
 
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