Should I See A Psychiatrist?
Over the past 2 years I've been failing school and I just can't bring myself to care. In middle school I was an excellent student, one of the best in my class. Ever since I started high school something about me has changed. In the first semester of 9th grade I did well, but during the time I slowly put less effort into my work. I rationalized it as me needing a break, and I did. In eighth grade I had put to much pressure on myself. I thought that I had to be the best, if I wasn't than I was less than. I didn't want to lose my mind in high school, so I vowed that I wouldn't put so much pressure on myself. Taking time off for myself felt so good, I let it get to my head. I was lazy for the rest of the school year and during 10th grade. All I did was lie around all day tapping on my phone. I've become addicted to my phone, it's what gave me the escape I wanted and now it's all I care about. What sustained this failure was my mentality, I still thought that I was less than for failing. The more I failed the more apathetic I became. I figured that I had already ruined myself and my life, so there was no point in trying. In the summer after 9th grade my family and I were homeless and traveling back and forth between state lines in the blazing hot sun. To top it all off we lost our dog, losing him made me feel like I had lost a part of myself. After that I just stopped caring. I didn't care about school or my future. I was doing okay in my 1st semester of 10th grade, but in the beginning of second I contracted scabies from another student. I had to stay home for an entire month, during this time I was able to distance myself from school so much that I truly didn't care anymore. I was so ashamed of myself and my moth long absence that I didn't come back. I did online classes but because I didn't finish them I failed 10th grade. Because of my laziness I failed 10th grade. Now I have no future. Colleges won't forgive this mistake. I haven't talked to another teenager, or anyone other than my family since January. It's starting to drive me crazy. Now that the damage is done, I feel empty and hollow. I am no longer myself, I'm an empty shell of the person I once was. I look in the mirror and I feel like I'm looking at a stranger. I feel completely lost, what should I do?
@bluefinch16 I am not an expert, but it sounds like a lot of bad things have happened in your life recently, and you sound as if you can think clearly and you know yourself pretty well. So that doesn't make me think you have any kind of serious mental illness that requires a psychiatrist.
It seems to me a therapist or a counsellor might be more appropriate so you can discuss everything that's been happening and make a plan to recover and move on. You could also ask them about whether you need to see a psychiatrist, and they will know much more about it than I do.
If you'd ever like to chat about the whole situation in more detail, just click on my profile picture and message me.
Charlie