Allie has been in San Antonio now for about 2 weeks. She has just a little over a week to go, before we pick her up from her Duke Tip study program.
She is attending for a Creative Writing course, that is an intense college level course. There are high expectations, one of which, is to present in front of a group of people. They are in her class, it’s not a huge group, but she is terrified.
Apparently, she’s having panic attacks, and is highly anxious about working in groups and getting up front of the class.
She has now even gone as far to say that she has a condition called “Selective Mutism.”
I received a call from both the director and one of the professors yesterday about this. They reviewed her medical records, and found no indication that this was the case. I told them that’s because she does NOT have this. She had to have found it online and diagnosed herself.. I have never heard of this, and no doctor has informed me that she has this condition. I was laughing about it, but really.. what is this girl saying about herself? Does she really believe that she has this “condition”? Is it really a thing? I just cannot believe that the psychological world would actually say that this is real. EVERYONE has some sort of anxiety about getting up front in a public group to talk. You only get better my practicing, but that feeling will still be there.
I feel for her, but this environment is good for her. Forcing her to socialize, rather than just be in her dorm room, playing the Sims. She hates it, but I don’t want her being a recluse. This will force her to engage, and it’s a completely safe environment. There should be nothing to be afraid of there. I just want her to thrive and enjoy the experience.
The parenting part of me just wants my kids to be successful in all that they do.
The struggle part is hard to watch…
All in a Day 