COLLEGE and anxiety

Reholla · Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 2:13 am Post subject: COLLEGE and anxiety

For me, at least I didn't really get anxiety till recently (the onsets were about 4 years ago, and I had specific anxiety then)

But something about college life REALLY makes having anxiety so much worse. You are completely out of your comfot zone...thrown into a school full of people you dont even know. Away from the comfort of your family. It's a lot to take in at once. And to make it all worse, you have a never-ending list of things to do. (laundry, homework, cooking, etc.) It is part of growing up but with some one who has AD its almost unbearable.

To add the the anxiety, ALL college students at one time or another feel lonely. So just imagine how some one going thru this and AD feels...

And 40% of college students are depressed. Kinda sad.. I know i was though.

I honestly cant see how some one can have any reason to be depressed unless they have anxiety. I'm not doubting they have those feelings, but its just hard for me to understand how they could when they feel fine (aka w. out anxiety) BUT anyways, if you are going through what I am feel free to add on!

College is full of anxiety :-/

Reholla · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 4:18 am Post subject:

well since no one else is going to reply to this I guess i will!!

Supposedly its natural to feel anxiety in college since your life style changes so much, and there is a definite increase in responsibility in being on your own.

I keep thinking if I stayed in my home town (where my parents are) and stayed in my comfort zone, maybe I wouldnt be having these anxiety symptoms?

But my whole like (practically) ive felt like somethings been holding me back. I was always shy, but deep down I think always wanted to be a really extroverted person. So now im thinking this anxiety was bound to happen one day.. like it was just building up inside me, and now college has put it to the test and thats why its so evident now.

Hopefully im not the only person who feels this way!! At least SOMEONE respond so I dont think im the only one!!!!!!!! lol

bluenow · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 4:27 am Post subject:

I hear you. I am an older student, go to school near home, but it's very hard. Before each class I usually try to think of a way out of it. I make myself go most of the time.
Keep looking towards the goal while focusing on getting through today.

sutiono · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 5:48 am Post subject:

Well. I have a quite different opinion. I am in my senior year of high school now and I actually look forward to go to college. I hated my school. People seem really selfish and judgemental. No one cares about nobody. In one of my classes, the students were so selfish that they leave their trash on or off the table and the teacher has to clean up after them every time. In the library everyone talked so loud that I could not even read. I can't wait to get out of here. College, in contrast, seems really good. I am taking a class at a local community college and it is much better than our school. People may not be super nice but at least they are more self-conscious. At least they take care of their own crap. The library is so quiet comparing to our school. I really can't wait to go there. I think I would feel less depressed than I am right now in our school.

Septor · Elite User Joined: Dec 15, 2005 Posts: 1033

Yea I understand what your saying.Although I have not even started,which I will be doing in September.I already know how hard its going to be thrown into group of people you don't know.At least I wont be going to a new town.

I can understand how hard it is for you Reholla.Beginning a new life and having to deal with all the stress of college and then add anxiety on top of that to.Well I hope you stick with it.Good luck.

Reholla · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 5:03 am Post subject:

Sutiono, I was in your shoes just last year. And I understand about wanting to get out of HS...I was the same way. I did have senioritis, but I know the real reason for me wanting to get out was due to my anxiety. Let me say that I genuinely hope college is a better experience for you than me. If you are good at meeting new people you will have a great time. I get so uncomfortable around people I dont know, its really hard for me to ever meet people in classes. Even if they say something first, I have such bad anxiety symptoms and blank out and dont know what to say. I am slowly loosing contact with the very few friends I had in HS, and I am lonley ... A lot. College is good, in the way that you have freedom and youre not forced into the same group of people. So that is a definite plus.

Life would be so much easier with an out going personality!!! But i deep down think thats how i am w/ out my anxiety. Hopefully it will get better from here.

sugaryberries · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 6:26 am Post subject:

For me college and the adjusting has not been that difficult. The only thing that has been semi-difficult is studying and attending class regularly.

I do not feel depressed, nor have I ever depressed in my life. When I am sad I know why but it doesn't last very long.

I wish I could make myself make some friends. That would be nice.

I never necessarily wanted to leave HS. I think I liked it better because it was cheaper and easier to get involved in things and make friends because you were constantly around the same people everyday.

I remember this kid who I met in 8th grade , after I moved. We were always in the same classes in HS, so it was nice to talk and joke with him all the time about everything, but I never hung out with him outside of school. Things like that are nice.

sutiono · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:16 am Post subject:

newshyguy · Intermediate User Joined: Feb 04, 2006 Posts: 112

im college too!!, im a freshman, well, i wana say that one of my most anxiety provoking situations in college is well , riding the bus with other students, omg. i tried not to make eye contact with other students but then i start to make it and then i get self-conscious, i dont like riding the bus

another anxiety provoking situation is sometimes with my roommate , we dont communicate much and at first i was like "shoudl i be friends with him or what?" then im like "should i talk to him more often?" but if we dont have much in common i dont think there is anything to talk about or need to be close friends, but i also dont wana be rude to him and i wana be cool with my roommate and his girlfriend , so sometimes i usually get mixed feelings and dont know what to do

another anxiety provoking situation is making friends , i find it so hard especially if they are girls, its just that im always quiet, and act rude, and i notice i just act so rude, cold, and unfriendly by the way, there are many hot girls in college Shocked

i gotta tell you, i am the type of guy who is more likely to go into depression (i used to have depression a long time ago but then i impressively beat it Smile

) im not like a strong guy, you know , im a little more sentimental.
and in college sometimes there are days when i feel sad and it gets difficult to keep my head up and look for hope. since im not a strong guy by nature, i get my strength from other places, but the most important one i see is from religion and from God.

but honestly high school and college, well the only difference i see with anxiety, is that there are far more anxiety provoking situations, even in the room where i sleep, and since in college there are more things i gotta do and learn by myrself, it requires life skills, and my anxiety usually gets in the way.

lovestobehated · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 9:56 pm Post subject:

oh my gosh, I just found this site, and I am completly new. I know exactly how you feel. I transferred mid-year, so everything is 10 times worse. I came here knowing no one at all, becuase I didn't keep touch with anyone from high school. I'm so scared of people, but no one seems to understand until now...