@Alex68
I'm not a teen anymore but when I was in early high school grades it did suck until I started drama class and there were more elective courses to choose from. With the "depression" has it caused you to stop enjoying what you used to enjoy doing? My depression only got that bad after I finished college partly because college was far more enjoyable place being around so many like-minded creative people that I missed them too much after graduation.
@CoinFountain in middle school I really enjoyed running, playing the violin, art, and other school sports. But at my high school it's like the smartest kids in the state and everyone is so much better than me so i don't even want to try. I also missed a straight month of school due to social anxiety.
@Alex68
I struggle with social anxiety too still. It becomes worse with isolation and the only way to help decrease it is with exposure to social situations. It doesn't mean you'll have to be exposed constantly, just even once a day leaving the house or a room to be around people without even needing to speak to them helps. I hope yours becomes easier.
Being as good at something as others is not as important as school can make it seem with it's grading system and sports try outs. I didn't bother with sports more because of who was trying out being past bullies who bothered me. All that's important is how the activity makes you feel while you are doing it before you even look at how "well" someone else does the same thing. Also everyone who's good at anything wouldn't have got there over night. "Talent" is a myth word used to inaccurately describe patience and years of practice enough to master it. It's not even necessary to be "good" at art to have people want and buy it. I'm often surprised by people who scribble a panel comic which ends up in The New Yorker just because they do it frequently enough.
Depression can also make self-worth decline to the point where you'd see no point in trying much. Thoughts like "I'll never be good enough" is what depression causes the brain to think more of. Have you spoken to a staff counsellor at your school about the anxiety? They may have some tips in addition to what's available here on 7cups.
If you do end up in college at some point there's often health departments that have better psychologists offering appointments free of charge to it's students than what's available to general public with far less waiting. Good to know in advance in case it's needed.
@CoinFountain wow thanks. And yes I have spoken to my counselor and they try to help but most times they just think walking me to the class will make it better. I don't know how to explain what I'm feeling to them and how bad it gets.
@Alex68
It sounds like they may benefit from more training on the subject...But I know not many high schools have enough funding to invest in that. If it keeps interfering with your daily living and ability to function then seeing a doctor is advisable. Hope your parents are being supportive as they can be and won't work against you in any of this. I'm glad you've found 7cups too. The mindfulness audio in path menu helps ease a lot of my anxiety.
@CoinFountain yeah my mom is being as understanding ad she can but she even told me that she diesnt really get why someone would be nervous around people. Like she has her own views on mental health but she isnt letting them affect gow i get help. But some other people in my family just think I'm overexagerating. As if me call it depression or anxiety is an excuse not to do anything like interact with people. But it's wierd because like, you know when something feels different about you. I already talked to my Docter and they said that since the way our insurance is, the soonest I can see a therapist or any thing like that will be in September. We are trying to find other places to get some help.
@Alex68
Yeah my insurance is same here. I'm on a wait list too. It's also weird that even some of the people in my family who have been diagnosed with depression still don't understand my own symptoms and think it's excuses cause the low energy is unpredictable. Thankfully I'm not living in the same house with them anymore.
Something I just remembered which helped me in the past is volunteering at an animal shelter. It can be a lot easier to be around animals like dogs and/or cats where there's no expectation on conversational content other than maybe saying the animal's name. It's helping both the volunteer with the anxiety and the animal with the anxiety that needs to be "socialized" to not fear human contact so they can be adopted later. I often felt much better after a trip to the shelter seeing all the animals looking greatful for a bit of attention and a break from their monotany.