How do I cope
Hope you are doing well
I needed help for I am going through a quarter life crisis, have panic attacks, feel low self-esteem and am anxious about my career. I used to be a very bright student always a topper. Now I feel like I can't grasp a single word out of my textbooks. I failed to secure a gov medical seat but got a semi gov one from a pretty decent college, but it exhausted all my parents fund and now I have a guilt of not being able to make a good life for them.
How do I cope with this anxiety of uncertainty?
@understandingMaple9667
Typically, coping with uncertainty is one of life's greatest challenges. You mentioned a "quarter life, crisis. It occurred to me, that if I were to have such a crisis, it would be one of many that have already experienced. Also I would have to call it a "three-quarter life" crisis. In other words, I've lived through many of them in the past seven decades.
It sounds like the "anxiety of uncertainty" is seriously affecting your ability to concentrate on your classes. I'm pretty sure that you still are a very bright student, but the anxiety has you distracted.
Despite the difficulties that you're having, you're doing your best. Guilt is another distraction, and anxiety trigger. Additionally, you don't deserve to feel it.
Meditation might help. I do some meditation every evening. There are a lot of resources online that provide information on meditation and relaxation techniques. I also listen to a lot of music for relaxation.
I've also made a habit of considering the best and worst possible outcomes, also the most likely to occur in whatever stressful situation I'm facing. Then I formulate plans for how I will respond to each outcome. The thought of having a plan, even if it's not a great one, helps reduce my stress. In my experience, the worst outcome rarely happens.
I worked my way through college. It took about six years because in the beginning, I didn't take a full class load, but I managed to save some money by working full-time. Then in the final two years, I was able to work part-time and still cover tuition. I didn't take out any student loans, so I was one of the few who graduated debt-free.
Due to being tired from working, and having ADHD, there were times that I struggled to grasp textbook content. Because of that, I believe I put in a lot more study hours than the average student. I made it though, and graduated with honors.
Despite the uncertainty that you're facing, I feel certain that you will reach your goals and find fulfillment, even if your life path requires you to make some changes.
