Help Skipping school for mental health?

[SaltyCaramel]

So, I'm really tempted to skip a 5 hour math test due to my mental health. Has anyone done similar things? Do you think it's smart in terms of recovery?

 

[Tesha]

You've posted in recovery, so I'm going to respond in that manner…

Can you talk to your tutors about your need to miss an exam for your own mental health? They may be able to help you or offer support in some way.

 

[Softwind]

So, I'm really tempted to skip a 5 hour math test due to my mental health. Has anyone done similar things? Do you think it's smart in terms of recovery?

It depends... Can you redo this test later? If yes then go for it, tons of people at my school do this (even if it's just to go to random parties...)

 

[slightoverlooked]

skipped two exams in winter semester and took a nap during my physics exam. its not the end of the world since i can retake them next year. it sucks but i was severely suicidal and exhausted and just couldn't study nor get myself out of bed

 

[cryone]

I don't think it's a smart decision to skip. I understand it seems futile n stressful to take the test b/c its 5 hrs esp when unprepared, but part of recovery is facing challenges n pushing on. since it's a one-time event n challenge, i think it's worth taking. atleast then you'd know you gave a good effort n wouldn't have as many regrets.

im not you nor do i know ur situation so take this w/ a grain of salt. this is js what i think, and i know i'd personally have damaging regrets (if i did come close to recovery) abt how i didn't try in my past.

 

[lemonbunny]

r u in college? i've considered this before because i barely studied and was depressed af, but ended up going anyway. i flunked but the teacher was gracious enough to have everyone pass. sometimes showing effort will be enough, and saves you from having to go through the course again, just my two cents. im sorry ur going thru this

 

[latte art]

Perhaps ask if you can resit it later due to mental health. You might be able to. Just note they might suggest you see the school counselor, which can be helpful (or at least neutral).

If you reschedule the test, note you will need to go through this decision and possibly extra study again. If you don't anticipate being in a better place to do those things a week or two afterwards, it might be best to just attend the test now and be okay with submitting whatever you are capable of submitting. Then you'll have no more stress from it.

Attending or deferring is better than no-show, imo, because with no-show you don't have the academic standing, or help or feedback, and might have to sit the class again, trading in 5 hours of stress now for potentially a whole class worth of stress later. That said, if you calculate that you can afford to miss it, and the other options really aren't doable for you, perhaps you can safely skip it.

I personally regret skipping classes and tests because I didn't end up with enough academic standing to go on student exchange. :(

Good luck.

 

[Final_Choice]

No, it might make it worse in the long run. But I have been able to get extensions and postpone an exam after I made it clear that I was going through something and that taking a small break would help me.

 

[Death is my goal]

i wouldn't

 

[etherealgoddess]

So, I'm really tempted to skip a 5 hour math test due to my mental health. Has anyone done similar things? Do you think it's smart in terms of recovery?

If you can reschedule it, fine. Make up some lame excuse to not go--even lie and say you had some physical health problem like maybe you were extremely sick or something (don't say mental health issues--I've felt teachers were weirded out after I told them), and if you do relatively fine in the class, they'll probably let you pass. It depends on the teacher whether they can give you grace. If you don't give a good enough excuse, you might just get a 0.

Gosh, this gives me flashbacks lol.

I'd say if you're really going to take the day off, take the time to meditate. Don't use it as an emotional tanking day. If you spend the entire day just feeling guilty about not going to school, it's not a mental health day, and you'll feel worse and keep doing it. I remember skipping tons of school in high school, and I would just tank my emotions the entire day. I'd watch videos all day or surf the web or play video games to tank my emotions. It would get worse and worse because when you don't go to school when you feel horrible, it's almost like your mental strength weakens? Forcing yourself is difficult, and it also makes you feel embarrassed because it seems like others can tell you're absent often, so the more you do it, the worse the cycle gets.

If you're going to skip school entirely, you have to do stuff that boosts you, so you can feel like you're actually improving your state. I know some people might say, "But, shouldn't you fully relax on your mental health day?" I'm pretty sure that you're taking the mental health day not because you're being so productive that you're burned out but because you're not doing enough to do good and feel like shit (I'VE BEEN THERE, DONE THAT).

Do a checklist of this:
Sleep in
Make healthy, balanced food for the day
Do something active a lot more (long walk or do an intense sport for fun or just do SOMETHING that gets you moving--the endorphins are so crazy that after playing tennis intensely, the next day my entire back was in so much pain and I never felt discomfort while playing because the endorphins were literally stopping me from feeling pain lol and also emotional pain tends to translate into physical pain)
Meditate
Maybe even watch some Dr. K videos--he's a Harvard psychiatrist and makes lots of videos about mental health, and I'm telling you, so many videos of his are ENLIGHTENING.
Go to sleep on time that day

 

[Linda]

Will your present state affect your performance on the test? If it won't affect it (or won't affect it much) then I think you should take the test. If you know that it will badly affect yor performance, then you should talk to your tutor (or whoever the relevant person is) and explain the situation.

 

[butterball]

mmmm it's a difficult one. if the test is worth a percentage of your grade & is not able to be retaken, it's better to just attend & try your best. you could also make your tutor aware of your headspace prior to the exam, so they may be able to make reasonable adjustments for you? after the exam, you can then wind down properly :> good luck!