# Skipping classes due to anxiety



## greycardigan (Jul 23, 2012)

I'm a 2nd year university student. My anxiety has been getting pretty off the rails lately (I'm unmedicated). 
Today I'm planning on skipping all 3 of my classes. 2 because I don't really feel like going (pure laziness mixed with a knowledge that I can do well without attending lecture-a bit conceited, I know, but unfortunately true). The 3rd, however, is a really interesting class, and only once a week so I should go, but today we have to do small group work, i.e. discussing the readings in small groups and working on a small project together.
I HATE group discussions and work. I'd much rather just sit in class quietly and take in information, and hear others discuss their ideas. I'm just terrified of having to discuss things with other people...not sure why, maybe scared of looking stupid.
Anyway, long ramble done. Any other students do this/feel this way? What do you do to get past it?


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## jr chzbrgr (Mar 16, 2011)

I'm assuming that you are 19 years old. I was this age when this all started for me. I actually kind of got over the Social Anxiety a little bit... actually a lot compared to when I was 19. I am going to be 23 years old in like 7 days from now. I have been through a lot with the anxiety. Anyway, I dropped my classes from community college this semester, I still can't sit through a classroom that is unfamiliar with me. I am only able to sit through a classroom that I have taken before. I would suggest that you sit near the door, and if you feel like you are about to get an attack you should take a walk around the building and then head back as soon as you feel better. Get notes from people though. It's important! It might help to speak to people before class starts. I know that sounds like a hard thing to do, but it might actually calm you down. I should take my own advice  I hope you don't skip class. Just go. Find a way to make yourself go. Even if it means only staying there for 10 mins. at a time. Make the effort to sit through it.


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## Define Lies (Jan 17, 2012)

Skipping class will only make things worse... You'll have even more anxiety because you don't know your material, and panic when the date for a test is set.


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## seafolly (Jun 17, 2010)

Been there. It's a wonder I passed high school as I no doubt held the record for the most skipped classes. I hid out in my guidance counsellor's office sometimes because of panic attacks. Yes, it gets worse the more you do it. It doesn't help to reinforce in your head that you _can't_. I agree that it helps to sit near a door. Unlike in high school, people don't notice/care if you get up and leave. Unless you have an anal prof. In which case, have fun making them feel awful about themselves privately after class when you quietly say you have an anxiety disorder. Group work is way harder I know, but hopefully engaging with these students helps keep your mind off your anxious thoughts. The anticipation is often worse than the actual event.


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## Cam1 (Dec 4, 2011)

Done this before, it makes things tough - I try to tough it out now.


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## Charmander (Sep 5, 2012)

Group work is the bane of my life...


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## Farideh (Nov 13, 2011)

At first, I started skipping classes in college. Then I decided to not go to school at all anymore. Planning on going back in the future though.


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## mistylake (Apr 24, 2012)

I used to skip classes whenever I knew there would be group discussions or presentations. I also avoided after-school study groups like the plague. I always did pretty well in written exams though so that didn't really affect my grades, but my strategy didn't quite work when I tried to get a Master's Degree... I really couldn't control my anxiety in the classroom so once again I got into the bad habit of skipping the classes where we had to do group work..I started lagging behind in most subjects and ended up quitting the program altogether. I felt and still feel like such a failure because of that...


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## KPanthera (Sep 12, 2012)

Skipped classes all through grade 8, 9, and 10, then went all the way and just left, permanently. Only now am I actually getting it together enough to go back and finish grade 12. 

I never understand how peeps with bad SA get through high school, but that's just because I only know how mine is, not how everyone else is able to deal with it. obviously it presents at different times in ones life. People are always telling me "oh, if you're determined enough you'll deal with it", and that just makes me feel weak.


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## kittenamos (Jun 23, 2011)

I have been making it a point to go to all of my classes. Whatever we are doing in class I make myself go and sit through it. In the end, it has helped me get past a lot of my anxiety. Things are still hard at times but I'm making progress simply by making myself go to class. Try to tough it out and go.


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