u/SpiritualAd2749

I am hired as a SEMH teacher within a small setting in a main stream school. I teach no mainstream. I exclusively teach SEMH/SEN students with ehcps. I manage the curriculum and do the timetabling etc on top.

I am currently on UPS2 with no Sen allowance. I have brought this up before but it kind of got swept under the carpet and I was non the wiser. However, I’ve now looked into it and although I work in an academy, they follow the teachers pay and conditions - stated in their pay policy. My initial contract didn’t outline a SEN allowance, but I was none the wiser then.

Are they pulling a fast one to save money? I have been there for 5 years now? What are my options? I feel as though I’m owed what should have been mine considering I’ve had to develop expertise in the area I work and had suffered physical violence form students too - I’m considering whether I’m better going back to mainstream to be honest.

I started struggling from panic disorder and GAD randomly after panic attack in January. It slowly got worse to the point I was pretty much agoraphobic. I was previously working full time, young mum of 2 who was outgoing, went out with friends and eventually enjoyed life - run down yes, but content enough.

When it was becoming bad I tried sertraline and had horrendous activating effects from that that gave me a panic attack so bad I genuinely didn’t think it was possible. I lowered the dose and stuck with it for 5 weeks altogether but had no improvement so stopped, I tried Escitalopram for a while but it worsened my anxiety with little effect on it. I tried beta blockers and they seemed to offer no help.

I’ve been working on exposure myself, and read the anxious truth, DARE and disordered podcast and I’m really trying to push through. I’m eating healthy, I’ve had my bloods checked etc. my only issue is I have pcos and my hpothhroisim and TSH is currently 5.6 but being treated.

Anyway that’s a long enough rant, I wanted to know things that genuinely helped people going through this? I feel like I’ve been trying everything I can to get better and I’m managing longer drives and some trips to the park with the kids, I’ve been trying to do them daily. But I just can’t shake this hopelessness that comes from feeling miserable doing anything in life. I’ve lost hope, motivation and any joy. I just feel so shit and feel like anxiety has taken my life away from me and no matter how hard I try I can’t get it back.

I just need help. What was a game changer for you? What helped you find a love of life agai? Scrap that, what helped you just function?

Hi all,

Wanted to see if anyone had gone through this. So I’ve suffered with panic disorder that’s gradually gotten worse since January. I went into sertraline 50mg but side effects were awful and unbearable so dropped to 25mg, it was manageable but no improvements and my anxiety has developed into agoraphobia pretty much. I went up to 50mg again the last 5 days but side effects have me ina. Chokehold again.

My doctor said I could switch to 5mg escitolopram/lexapro and give that a go.

How did the switch go for people? Did it help your anxiety?

I’m at the point where I’m so stuck and feel as though it’s never going to improve and everytime I think it can’t get worse, it does. Anxious about starting again with something new as I’ve put 3 weeks into sertraline but it’s been seriously the worst 3 weeks of my life.

doc has said I can take propranolol alongside if needed.

Long story short: So since Jan my panic attacks have got progressively worse to the point I’m now off sick from work and struggle leaving the house.

Anyway, doctors put me on sertraline 50mg and by day 2 my anxiety had increased so much that I was in a constant state of anxiety, it got so bad at one point that I called an ambulance asi thought I was having a stroke. The main issue I’m having is the anxiety lingers and I get this almost burning feeling throughout most my body that just lingers there and almost always leads to a panic attack. Anyone else get this?

I’ve since dropped to 25mg and it’s a little easier but up and down in general.

Just looking for some positive stories as I try and push through this stage and praying for it to take a positive turn soon!