Anxiety and education

Question

I was never the most social person. Throughout primary and play group I have had 1 friend so my skills in the area are...disastrous. This has quite easily led to social anxiety which has in the past few years gotten so bad I can see it destroying my future like acid. I won't raise my hand in class, leaving me clueless when I'm confused. I won't talk to piers unless we've been friends for more than a year so group activities are particularly painful. I'm too scared to write anything in English for I don't trust my skills and I end up with one sentence after 15 minutes. And I find it difficult to concentrate for I'm too busy freaking out because I'm in a room of people.

School is hell quite simply.

I will soon be doing a speaking and listening in English...this is the recipe for disaster. I said I'd try, well typed it (the teacher couldn't hear me so I had to type), but what I hadn't realised is that we were doing it before the entire class, not just in our groups. So naturally, I have spent the entire holiday freaking out.

I don't know what to do.

If anybody has any tips on the speaking and listening and how to deal with my anxiety from hell, please don't hold back as I would.

Thanks

Billyd · Accepted Answer

Dear Anonymous,

Thank you for sharing with us! That is not an easy thing to do.

There are a lot of people all over the world and even in your class who have difficulty with public speaking, have trust issues and do not feel comfortable in social settings.Everyone has experienced feelings of fear, anxiety and/or depression, so you are not alone. The key point is DO NOT stay in that place of fear, anxiety and darkness. That place is NOT FOR YOU!!! Take the necessary steps to get better even if it means seeking professional and/or medical help. Do not allow those feelings to become a "permanent" way of life for you.

Do you know how/why/when/where your anxiety started (do not share these with us)? Take some time out for yourself, get comfortable and write the answer (s) to the how, why, when and where. Try to go back as far as possible to determine the root cause (s), then write down an "action plan" (ways you can improve the situation, one small step at a time) and never forget to take care of and love "you" (treat yourself to dinner, take a walk, start exercising, etc). Let this time out for yourself be an experience of getting to know you at a deeper, happier level.

Stop setting yourself up for failure! Just because you are not good at something does not mean it will be a disaster. Work hard on the class assignment the best you can and practice what you need to say. Go in front of the class with boldness and say to yourself "nobody and nothing is going to stop me from presenting/showing the hard work I have done". Remember do not be afraid of people looking at you. They look because that is the purpose for their eyes, so you need to look at them too!

Be determined that this new year will be a new you! A new way of thinking, feeling and acting. Focus on what you are good at and use your strengths and inner gifts to help others. Believe in yourself and your abilities, because if you do not, then no one else will. There is no one else like you. You are special and unique and what you can do I cannot.

Hope this helps!

Anxiety and education

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