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<center>Stress<center>

I have been asked to post this for someone i know. Please help by giving input into this problem that i will then forward to her

Stress
I have so much I need to do. So much I want to do. I need to manage my time better. I need to stay focused and motivated. I have little self-discipline, which causes me to not pull through on most of my goals.

I need to get caught up in history, English, and pre-calculus. I need to find a photographer for prom. I need to deal with my whole driving situation. I need to work this summer so I can afford a car. I need to fix past grades. I need to lose weight. I need to help clean up the house and backyard. I need to take care of the dog. And on top of all this I have to also balance keeping my friends, family and boyfriend happy.

I?ve been so stressed. I?m still stressed. I wake up feeling sick everyday; whether it?s nausea, some kind of cold, or just a feeling of fatigue. I have a really hard time making it through the day.

I?m also stressed about college. I don?t know what I want to be anymore. I don?t know if I want to be a pediatrician anymore. I need to pick something though. I?m running out of time. I need to know what I want to do so I can pick an appropriate college. I need to know so I can fulfill all the requirements that the college I pick requires. I don?t know how I?m going to afford college. My mother?s a single mom. My dad?s been un-employed since I was 6. The expenses of the divorce have drained her. She doesn?t have a college degree. She?s going back now, but she doesn?t have any money saved away. Not even for her retirement. I don?t have the grades for scholarships either. All because I was stupid and fooled around during most of high school. I guess I?ll have to cross that bridge when I get to it.

This issue with my weight really gets to me, too. It hits me so hard. It?s gotten to the point where I hate looking at myself in the mirror. I hate trying on clothes. I look at myself in the fitting rooms and all I see are the bulges and the dimples and the stretch marks that are developing. I can?t even look at myself in the mirrors when I?m in dance class. When we do any kind of routines facing the mirrors I always look at the teacher or someone?s feet in front of me. I?ve been trying to diet and exercise but it?s so hard. I stick to it for the most part but it doesn?t seem to be working. There?ve been two times this school year where I?ve come so close to making myself throw-up when I ate something unhealthy. It scares me. It scares me so much to think that I?ve become so desperate that I would even so much as consider hurting myself like that. I?m so terrified by the fact that I?ve let my weight problems and self-image issues get so out of control.

I don?t like the way I feel about myself anymore. I don?t like the way I look at myself anymore. I look at myself and I get so unhappy. I get so upset over the way I?ve let myself slip. I get upset for falling behind and screwing around in school. I get upset over the direction my weight has turned. I look at my back and shoulders and get upset over the fact that the acne I had in elementary school has left my skin flecked with small dark discolorations. Sometimes I feel like I just want to crawl out of myself. Just crawl out of my body and leave it behind.

please...

ugggggggggg

Stress is a killer. Time and time again i have seen friends, family...and even myself fall apart because of all the stress of life.

Grades, looks, general outlook on life...even health is greatly affected by stress. as was said before, take things one at a time, and try not to look at everything as one giant mess that can't be helped.

"And on top of all this I have to also balance keeping my friends, family and boyfriend happy. " **try explaining how you feel to these people, i'll bet they'd like to see YOU happy too 3nodding "

things WILL work out, they always do. finding out what you want to do in life usually happens later on. most people switch jobs (the average is 7 times) because they don't really know either.

My advice: Try working on your grades at the moment. Take each subject, each class, and every test one step at a time. work up gradually, and once you have a firm ground on education, move to the next issue.

*just tell her she can do it. a little motivation goes a long way*

I'm hardly a therapist, but I'll throw my two cents in here.



It sounds like a lot, but it can be broken down into managable pieces. And don't worry about making anyone happy, right now you need to help yourself be happy. I am sure they will be loving enough to understand and probably even help you when they can.
First of all concentrate on your catching up. Devote a weekend to it, two if you need more. If you're still behind see if you can get assistance from a sympathetic teacher or a tutor.
Friends or family will probably have no problem finding you a photographer if you ask. I am sure they can at least recommend a good one.
It is not the end of the world if you can't drive. I'm 23 and still don't own a car. So far I have only had a few minor inconveniences because of it.
Clean up when you can, don't make it a priority. It's definately not something to get stressed over. The dog will do fine I am sure, make walking it part of your exercise routine.
I doubt you can go back in time and fix your past grades, focus on getting good ones in the future. Learn from the past, don't regret it.
I'll get to the statement about your weight later on.



I know exactly how you feel, I've been exactly where you are now. Everything, even the smallest things, are a huge burden and you can't keep your stomach from churning. I went through a period of months where I would vomit violently on a daily basis and there was nothing I could do to prevent it.



You don't NEED to pick anything right now. It might seem like everyone around has a life plan, but they don't. I certainly don't. Don't forget you can aways go to college when you are older, or take a course that will serve you well in many fields. If you need to take a year or so away from learning and build up the funds. No one will think any less of you for it. Don't stress about the past, you can't change it. Learn to accept it, learn to improve yourself from it.



Unless you are morbidly obese and your health is in danger your weight is not a problem. I imagine you are much slimmer than you see in the mirror. The good thing is you seem to recognise you have self image problems. This is a good thing. You will find it easier to work on them. See your doctor and discuss everything you feel with him. He will either help you himself or help you find a good therapist. Please don't hate yourself, stress does funny things to our minds and this is probably one of the many unfortunate things that happens.



I bet you are the only person who sees the weight, the only person who sees the acne scars. I know, I have my physical demons myself. But don't look backwards, look forwards. Instead of lamenting over your past problems, look forward and find ways to build a future. Find a way to break away from your unhappiness.

I still get days where it feels like I cannot cope. I still have days where I would love nothing more than to sink into a dark corner and never come out again. But it does get better, I promise you. Look to those around you, they can and will help you.

I know I probably didn't help much, but I wish you all the best. You're not the only one.

Bowing really isn't necessary, really. But thankyou.

I think you did rather well myself. You're better than you think.