I am a 15 year old guy in high school who can't get myself back to school.  I missed the second half of my freshman year and was home schooled. I want to go back but i can't.  I've been able to get into school for one day so far this year.  I can't get out of the car when my mother tries to drop me off.  I am scared to death to go to classes.  I'm afraid that I will loose my friends if I don't go but nothing seems to help.  I am on Paxil and going to a psychologist but nothing has worked.  Please someone help me before I totally ruin my life.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

when your  next  doctor  appt  let  them  know  that  you feel  the meds  are not  helping  you  he  might  try something else  but be honest  with your  doctor  and  try not  to be afaird   to ask  for help. that  what  we are  here  for  to  help  other  out.  I  wish  you the best  of luck.

 Joe,

My son at age 15 has not been able to go to school due to anxiety either since beginning of the school year.  His grandpa died this summer and he went into a depression and then anxiety disorder.  We are still trying different things.  Medication is important-- to find the right one and the right amount.  Don't give up!   We also have been pursuing Naturopathic treatments from two different Naturopathic doctors with some help.  Make sure you get complete blood work through the M.D. or in our case, the Naturopathic doctor to check on various things--including blood sugar, testosterone, thyroid, etc.   We did get some answers from a "Saliva test" through the Naturopathic Doctor that can test among several things, a "Stress Hormone" called Cortisol.  This saliva test is not hard to do (he just went off all meds for 48 hours before doing the testing).  This saliva test checks  these levels throughout the day.  

 We discovered that his cortisol (stress hormone) was extremely low and could be a part of his problems.  We are still treating for this.   Don't give up.  You are not alone.  My son, too, worries about not being with his friends.  He just wants to "have his life back."  There is no magic pill for this problem.   I know one other teenager who had the same problem like you and my son--can't get out of the car or can't even get out the front door.   She now takes Adderall for ADD which helps her.  My son also takes this.  This other teenager (19 yrs old now) works a decent with animals and seems pretty happy--even though she couldn't finish high school.  She says she will eventually get her G.E.D.

I would encourage your parents to explore some other options in the Naturopathic field too.  We are blending Medical treatment with Alternative treatment to do whatever it takes.  Look into something called Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) if you leave in the Northwest (lots of dark and cloudy days).  We bought an Ott light for at home to help him in case this is a factor. 

I hope your parents are patient with you as it is hard for others to understand.  Just don't give up and getting better.  When you have growth spurts, puberty and anxiety problems all at one time, sometimes it doesn't balance out quickly.  Good Luck and God Bless.
 

Sorry it's taken me so long to respong: I've been sluggish in updating/responding because I'm actually having the same problem right now.  It sucks, I know.  It's just so hard to stay in school.  I'm not sure what your diagnosis is exactly, but I know that my experience with OCD and panic disorder have made it impossible to maintain good attendance.  I've missed about 20 days already.  One suggestion I have is that you talk to your school's Student Assistance Counselor.  There's a good article on this site about them here: SAC Article.  My SAC has been a Godsend.  I visit her almost every day when I just need to get out of the class.  It's not as good as being able to stay in classes all day without leaving, but it's MUCH better than not being able to go to class at all.  If your school doesn't have an SAC, you can probably go to the nurse just to cool down a bit (just make sure the nurse is compassionate and understands mental illness). 

 Good luck!  I hope we're both able to get through this!

~Caitlin

sounds like it hurts a lot.  i definitely feel the same way, only i somehow force myself to get to school. i never had the strength to tell someone how i feel about going to school, so at least you did. 

is school the main place you think brings you anxiety?