What should I do in my situation?
First thing is first, I couldn't decide of a category for this so if this is moved I apologise. So I am currently 16 years old. Back when I was 9 a hurricane blew a tree in my house and was very close to hitting my mother. It was a scary night. After that I had PTSD and behavior issues. I couldn't control myself. I was diagnosed with PDD as a young child and when I turned 16 my psychiatrist said that I had mild Asperger's. After the hurricane I was put on lexipro for PTSD. This is where things went wrong. I started doing lots of things that I shouldn't have like doing too much of something, such as eating, gaming, and I was always running around in my bike. After my PTSD had been treated I was at a horrible weight because after the hurricane I was always hungry (I think it was the medicine but I am not sure because I was 9-12[I don't remember exactly]) after I started gaining weight the depression and behavior issues skyrocketed and I gained 50 pounds a year and it was only increasing. I started to do bad in school in 5th grade, which I'm guessing was lack of motivation (very serious). And in 5th grade the last friend I had moved away. I was then alone throughout middle school, and not having friends for years is very painful and can change a person. I had gotten to a point where I hardly went to school. (Also another thing to mention, I'm capable of getting A and A+ and was constantly told I was smart and I managed to make it into the advanced classes only to fail them later on and I also skipped a grade which only made my social issues worse, but my mind state was so bad I did nothing with it hence why my grades went down. 5th grade is when I got my first C. Every year later my grades went down and down.) I was a big burden on my parents because my feelings were so strong I couldn't control myself or how I was feeling. Nothing really helped so I saw a psychiatrist and was put through almost all of the SSRI and SNRI that was supposed to help with depression. Throughout those medicine, nothing seemed to help. In middle school is also when I started to get bullied which only made me worse. During tests I would always get a 90-100 but even though I aced everything, the homework really brought things down. At 14 I got a job and started making friends online(because I had none in person and online was the only escape). I was and still am averaging 16 hours a day online which is very bad for my health. I never ate the right foods. I was always eating, even through the night. My triglycerides and some vitamin levels were horrible and I managed to have a fatty liver- similar disease because of the food I ate(I never drank alcohol, and refuse to). So after I got a job I had some money, but because of my severe depression I spent every cent I earned in an attempt to make myself feel better (still happens now). Also I didn't know it at the time but I believe I had social anxiety because I could never start a conversation with someone new. So with the money one of the first things I had gotten was I bought computer parts and build my own computer. That is when I really started to try to make things better but only made things worse. I had played Minecraft from 2013-2020 (currently, and I know it's lame but it's the only thing I know besides watching videos all day long). I made some good friends many times but I ended up losing some because I was too sad and they didn't want me. I did stupid things like cutting myself for reasons I don't remember or understand. I posted those online. Now through the years I had made many friends but almost every time I made a friend I lost them in a very harsh way. (I say almost because of the friends I have currently online). So high school came around. I had finally made a friend and was introduced to a friend group. (And I should also mention I always felt left out, always, and it was the worst feeling because it felt almost like I still had no friends). My friends from high school were very nice although I only really am friends with one, because I feel left out with the rest of the group, including the friend who introduced me into it. In high school I started with advanced classes and did good for half a year (averaging 98 across all classes) but at some point I broke down and stopped doing homework causing my grades to plummet horribly. I started doing stupid things in high school, which I know I should not do but I do/did it anyways to try and make myself feel better. I started vaping and at first it was to look "cool". I had never breathed it in, just pulled it into my mouth. Later on I got to a point where I started vaping and getting off it was a pain. (I managed to literally quit in 1 day). But I also made trouble for my teachers. And the friend group I had I felt left out of so I felt that I only have one friend. I always managed to start the year good In attempt to fix things, but later in the year it would all go downhill again. I quit my job for reasons I don't even remember. I was working at a fast food restaurant and I was eating horribly but I managed to lose 25 pounds in a month. After I quit the money disappeared because I was so sad that I didn't care about my life and spent all my money that I had for random people I met online because I didn't feel like living. In sophomore year is when I started stupider things. I was in very bad health and I believe I weighed up to 320 pounds at one point (currently). Junior year I started to get better with depression. Miles better. But it wasn't happy feeling, or good feeling. Junior year is also the year where I finally managed to control my behavior better, and acting more civil. I have irrational thoughts when I am in such a bad mind state. Hence why I did so many dumb things. And currently it is summer and I am genuinely worried about my future. I know what field I want to work in, what degree I want, etc. But I feel hopeless as if it's going to go wrong because of my grades from messing up so bad. And the thing I really came here for is what should I do now that I am a senior. At the moment I managed to sweat to my knees with playing video games all day. I took a shower and 10 minutes later I was the same as before I took it. Soaked in sweat. My health is bad and I don't know what I should do for my future. And I don't know what I should work on first, college planning or my health. What should I do?
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@210030sa
Hi, I too am glad to hear that you feel like you are doing better emotionally. I'm wondering how you are dealing with your sleep apnea, are you using a cpap, or do you have some other strategy for it? I'm guessing you already know that sleep apnea is a serious disorder that needs to be addressed. My other question is, what is your psychiatrist's take on the questions you pose about your medications? If he is prescribing them then he should be available to discuss your issues with you. If he is not doing that, then that too needs to be addressed ASAP!
I'd just like to add that you are currently living through your teen years. In my case these were the most painful years of my life. One's emotions are all over the place and your feelings of self worth can be very negatively affected by certain things that get blown way out of proportion due to this imbalance. I just want you to know, and you may already understand this, that things do start to get better with time. As you get older your perspective changes and what tears you up inside now will be seen in a new and different light later. I have been through it, just as MANY people have. But it is definitely worse for some, and it sounds like you are one of those. Not sure me telling you this will be of any use to you but I guarantee it's all true. Hang in there!
Best to you, Hank
I'm not 100% sure that this is sleep apnea, because it happened the first time mid day. But I just woke up and it's hard to breathe. No I'm not using any breathing aids or anything like that.
Not sure if you have done this, but sleep apnea can be diagnosed thru a sleep study ordered by your doctor. Basically while you are sleeping you are monitored to see how you sleep, whether or not you stop breathing during sleep, etc. in hospital setting.