He has been having a lot of anxiety attacks recently. He didn't go to school for the past 2 weeks in 1 class because he was afraid he'd have a PA in class. He has told his instructor about an illness he has, but the instructor has told him that "to make up the final, you'll have to show the dean an excuse".
What should he do? His dad is an MD, but his dad may get mad that he hasn't got help for it. Which is another thing-taking medicine gives him a PA. He fears that it will do damage to his body.
2007-12-12 08:24:32 · 4 answers · asked by PlasticTrees 2 in Health ➔ Mental Health
anxiety attack=panic attack (PA)
2007-12-12 08:24:58 · update #1
I think he should go to a counselor to help him develop strategies to reduce the severity and possibly the number of panic attacks. I would try cognitive approaches before I looked into medication. I also think that his family should lighten up on their expectations of his performance at school. Your fiance needs to lighten up on himself.
Get your fiance to go to the "quack shack" on campus for a diagnosis of panic attacks or a referral to a doctor who can give that diagnosis. Your fiance can let the doctors know that he would prefer to take a medication or would prefer to try other approaches in order to treat the panic attacks.
2007-12-12 08:30:07 · answer #1 · answered by K. F 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He will have to see a doctor to get an excuse for missing class. When he talks to the doctor he can get a referral to a therapist to start working on some strategies for coping with the PA. They can try cognitive therapy along with medications if needed. This is not something that is uncommon. Many people suffer from PA and have been successful in finding ways to deal with them.
2007-12-12 16:34:04 · answer #2 · answered by Diane M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
get him to the free health clinic on campus fast...they'll refer him out, and prob. give him some med samples...you'll then have documentation that he's doing something about the problem, and should be able to take the final. Even if he's taking the meds or not.
Also, you could have him mention something about test anxiety and the doc should give permission for him to take the final alone instead of in class.
2007-12-12 16:29:39 · answer #3 · answered by teaster 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
He's going to have to go to a doctor (not dad) to officially diagnose his anxiety disorder. Whether he decides to go on medication is something he & his doctor can decide later, but for now this diagnosis is enough to please the university.
2007-12-12 16:30:05 · answer #4 · answered by Pooty Pootwell 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋