[LexieZ19]

I am an incredibly busy person. I am in college and hold 10 leadership positions as well as take four classes. I sit on numerous committees and do mock trial as well. I recently fell down the stairs and got a concussion. I ignored it for an entire day and finally passed out. I woke up in the hospital and keep getting told "You need to rest," but I don't want to. They think I fainted from a stress or panic attack. I want to get better but cannot justify taking a break without panicking.

[googley]

You might want to think about that you have to take care of yourself first to be able to do all these activities. If you don't take care of yourself you wont be able to do any of them. It might help to prioritize the activities you do and see which ones you might be able to think about taking a break from so that you can take care of yourself. People will understand.

I understand the need to be able to do everything. I was at that point in undergrad and ended up in the hospital. Then I was forced to take a break. It would have been better had I been able to take a break before it got to that point.

Why do you panic when you aren't busying yourself with something? Do you busy yourself so you don't have to think about the stress or the fear or some trauma? Or do you become anxious because you feel that, if you aren't achieving goals, you aren't worthwhile?

[Severijn]

Hi lexie.

Maybe you should discover why you have such an intense drive to perform. I think it's great that you do so much. But 10 positions, isn't that a bit too much?

I thinking finding some inner peace also feels great. Perhaps you could have some convos with a therapist about it, or read some self-help books about finding more inner peace and getting less perfectionistic.

[Perna]

Originally Posted by LexieZ19

I want to get better but cannot justify taking a break without panicking.

Your choice of words is telling. Justify to whom? It's your life; do you want to get better or faint/fall down the stairs again and not have a choice?

I don't know if you are afraid you will have problems with not doing "something" or that you will learn you are not indispensable and the world will keep going around well without you. Panicking from either of those alternatives is not healthy. It sounds like you are giving away too much energy trying to keep from panicking; think what more you could do if you weren't afraid but doing it for the joy of it?