Not attending lectures?

Question

I have a huge, embarrassing problem that I havent told anybody because its just so unbelievably pathetic and shameful. Im a first year at uni doing psychology,started in october 06 and i hardly EVER attend lectures.Combination of reasons-going in makes me panic big time,i hate it and although miraculously im keeping on top of work,I only go in wen i have to.I have this thing where i cant leave the house till after about 2pm.Its like im afraid of leaving the house early.Driving me mad.Im not liking uni and i dread going in when i do (about once a week).Im scared, worried and confused. Hope im not the only one like this!Dont know why i cant just get myself into lectures but the thought of going in everyday is daunting.How do i start getting myself to lectures and enjoying them too!Help me out, any advice or comments are welcomed!Need to know why im like this, i feel like a bat.

Answer 1

Go and see a psychiatrist/psychologist. Nearly every school has free mental health counseling.

Answer 2

It sounds like what you are experiencing might be a case of agoraphobia/social anxiety. I would recommend that you repost this question to the Health --> Mental health category in order to get more answers - it is not about your college, it is about the fact that it affects you, so this is the wrong category, thus most of the people here would not be able to provide you with adequate advice. You are definitely not the only one experiencing this - I went through the same thing about 3 yrs ago, and I don't even know where it started. One day I just felt very uncomfortable in one of my classes, and after that time dragging myself to school was a daunting experience. It got to the point where I was doing the same thing as you - going only when I absolutely had to, like for major exams, and things of that nature.

Eventually I felt so uncofortable and had such high anxiety about it that I knew that I couldn't continue going there - and knowing I had about 2 more yrs left definitely made me cringe - going there for a week took a lot out of me, but having 2 more yrs ahead made me realize I wouldn't be able to go through with it and eventually I'd get kicked out of the school for having so many absences. At that point I dropped out. After half a year of being out of school I felt like I was jeaopardizing my future by not getting a college education, but I still had anxiety about going to school, so I did the only thing I knew I could do at that point and enrolled into an online university, thinking one day I'll go back to my traditional university. Well, I liked the flexibility I had with going to school online so much that I never went back to my old school and got my degree online.

I'm not suggesting that you follow in my footsteps, but it is something for you to consider if you one day feel hopeless because you're unable to bring yourself to class. Is school the only place that makes you feel anxious, or is it being in other public situations as well? It's very important that you ponder this. Because if you feel this anxious in a number of social situations, then you have a social anxiety disorder, and should go see a psychologist/psychiatrist about it soon, because it won't cure itself and will only continue to get worse until you're paralized with anxiety and unable to function in the world. Don't let it get this far, and please see a professional about this - I went through the same thing, and I know it's no picnic. I also know that it doesn't improve if you just sit back and wait for it to get better, so you definitely need intervention - go get your life back, girl! *hugs*

Answer 3

it sounds like this is your first year at college! if so, you're afraid/scared, you don't want to go and you not managing your time well. you will do better academically if you do go. when you go, you'll get notes and hints (about tests etc). you'll get better grades....