How can I deal with my stress? I feel like having a mental breakdown.?

Question

I've been under a lot of stress about everything. Especially school.

I go to a very prestigious school and I'm only in ninth grade. The majority of classes I'm taking is meant for tenth graders. I used to be a straight A student in middle school, but now I'm just getting C's left right and center. For example, I recently got a 59 on a math test (I'm in honors Algebra 2), a C in honours Biology, and a couple D's in Spanish 2. I haven't gotten a hundred on anything since the school year started.

I just sometimes feel like breaking down and crying during class, because I'm trying my best, I really am, but seem to be getting absolutely nowhere with anything.

I get about 3+ hours of homework each night, and I also babysit my 4 year old brother at night.

I just feel happy when I'm at home, and I'm just under a lot of stress all the time. All I really want to do is spend my days reading my Bible and learning about history.

Answer 1

School is hard, especially nowadays when they give you tons of homework.

I use to be a good student, but I also got D's in Spanish. Then geometry came and I failed it. I was devastated. I made myself take it again the next year and passed with a C with a different teacher.

It sounds like you are putting a lot of expectations on yourself to be as good as you were before. Try to relax and not pressure yourself so much. No one thinks less of you just because you aren't getting straight A's. No one expects you to, but yourself.

It sounds like your work is much harder and that you are overwhelmed. Talk to your school counselor and see if there is a tudor that can help you with your homework with the hardest classes.

Do you give your worries to God? I always say, "Give it to God". It is so much better to tell him your worries and happy thoughts too. Give him praise for the good things and the challenging things he lets you go through. Ask him to be able to help you deal with the stress you are under.

My suggestion is to get a small box. Lable it God's stuff. Once things are put in here, I am not to worry about again. Trust God. Everyday, write at least one worry or problem you are having a hard time with and and put it in that box. Also put praises you see on a daily basis. It isn't easy to give them to him and really let him keep them. I promise, you will feel better after handing them over to him to keep.

Here is something I found that hopefully will help you.

http://christianity.about.com/od/faqhelpdesk/f/dealwithstress.htm

Stress and anxiety for a Christian can take on many different shapes and forms, yet in general, for most Christians, stress boils down to one idea - lack of trust in God.
Though it is impossible to lump all of Christianity into one common position, most Christians do share the thinking that God is sovereign and in control of our lives. We believe he is the author and composer of our life of faith. We believe he has given us everything we need for life. So, most of the time when stress dominates our lives, somewhere along the way we have failed to trust God.

Though this explanation appears simplistic, it's not meant to imply that a stress-free life in Christ is easy to obtain.

Just trust God more and you'll never deal with stress again! If only it were that easy.

Life is much too complicated, and we are much too vulnerable in our human condition to ever escape the inevitable battles with stress. But for Christians, stress does have a positive side. It can be a reminder that our lives have drifted away from God. It might be an indicator that we have stopped depending upon him daily for strength. Perhaps we have forgotten the many promises in his Word?

Ways that Christians Cope with Stress:
There are many practical disciplines that a Christian can and should exercise to avoid stress. Getting enough rest, a proper diet, regular exercise, and keeping a balance between work, ministry and family time - these are all practical ways the Bible teaches us to regulate stress in our lives. However, from a spiritual standpoint, stress relief for a Christian begins and ends with these three basic disciplines:
• Prayer
Instead of worrying over our problems, further compounding our anxiety and stress, the Bible recommends taking everything to God in prayer. This verse in Philippians offers the comforting promise that as we pray, our minds will be protected by a peace that goes beyond our ability to understand.
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

Answer 2

I'm no expert in education, but if you are only in grade 9 and taking grade 10 courses, that seems to be the obvious source to your problem.

I'm not sure who is making you take so many harder courses, but you should cut back on some if not all the grade 10 courses and learn at the grade 9 level.

In the real world, no one cares if you skipped a grade or not.

You might get bragging rights for taking harder classes but it doesn't mean much if you are getting Cs and Ds and getting stressed out. The worst part is that this shows that you are not learning the material properly...

Answer 3

Sounds like your a smart girl, I bet youve made honor roll or will.
My daughter whos 16 is honor roll and the same thing happen to her when her dad and i got seperated. Her stress level went up so much, she got snappy, grades went down. And had a boyfriend and wasnt nice to him anymore-they broke up. She didnt know what was wrong till her dad and I got back together, I knew what was happening. She started hanging with friends, reading more and staying away from me. It helped her not to see me all the time so she didnt think about it as much. I understood, I was heart broke but i knew this was her way of coping.
Then on top of it all we found out she was bi-polar, bi-polar, a person whos not bi-polar can get depressed too. But a bi-polar person gets 10 times as depressed.

Girl you need to look at your life very closely and figure out why your feeling this way, why your grades are slipping (normally your grades are good right!) You can do it, especially since your so smart, know you can.
If you cant filx the prob then you have to look at avenues to accept that you cant fix the world and do more things that take your mind off it. But first things first, figure it out.

You'll do it!

Answer 4

Miss Alley, I hate your stress factors. To reduce stress one must relax get ones mind off of stressful things. A lot of people have hobbies model building art canoing fishing to name some it works really well you could try that. A day at a nice spa with a good rub down, along soak in the tub and a few hrs sleep would probably help also. Good luck.

Answer 5

You are in the right place when it comes to reading your Bible. God tells us to cast all our cares on Him because He cares about us so much.

Could it be that you should be doing grade level work for your age? There is nothing wrong with needing to be at a level where you feel you can perform the best.

I am a home school mom of two kids, and we don't go any faster than they are able. They are two individuals, and each very different than the other. One of them excels in language arts, but struggles with math. It's just the opposite for my other child. And there is nothing wrong with either of them. When they get overwhelmed, we back off a little.

Would it be ok to talk with your parents and a school counselor about getting to a level you can deal with? Just knowing you may have that option might take off quite a bit of stress.

I feel for you. It is hard to be so overwhelmed.

Stay in the Word. Let it bring you comfort all day.

Answer 6

First of all, I am a parent and I don't believe it is right that you are babysitting and trying to keep up with your homework. You can't be expected to these days.I'm 38 years old and when I was a teen, all the girls who babysat got pregnant before they graduated and the ones who concentrated on school went on to college.
You need to have a talk with your parents. You can't really babysit and do your homework, you don't have time and multi-tasking is out of the question

Good luck

Answer 7

Get out a pad and paper.
Write down your stresses and organize them into categories. One is stresses you have no control over, and stresses you can control.
Take the stresses you can't control (Which could be plentiful) and get over it.
Take the stresses you can control and make a list of steps you will take to reduce them.

Answer 8

Try taking a look at ( http://www.reducingstress.net ) They have a lot of great articles and tips on how to deal with and reduce stress.

Answer 9

learn deep breathing exercises. they help soooooooooo much.

first, lay down flat. then put your hand on your stomach. exhale and feel your hand fall. then inhale slowly and feel your hand rise. continue inhaling and exhaling slowly. try counting to ten while you breathe. it helps. then when you have the slow, deep breathing down, imagine yourself walking along a quiet beach, or in the woods, or sitting infront of a campfire... just which ever you enjoy most. (or you can even imagine your very own place that has everything you want and nothing you don't) just deep breathe for 6 or 7 minutes. you will feel so much better!
also try lavender candles, or chamomile tea. i don't like drinking the tea, but just steeping the bag in a cup of boiling water releases enough aroma to relax me.

good luck.

Answer 10

I am sorry to hear you are in alot of stress. Well do the best you can and the results you get in school are a product of hard work. you can deal with stress by matching your expectations with what you can do.