Dear,
I ’m really glad you spoke about this. What you’re describing is exhausting. Feeling anxious, blank, demotivated, and stuck in this loop of deleting and reinstalling apps, that itself tells me your mind is tired and your nervous system is overloaded.
You are not weak. You are not lazy. You are not failing. You are burnt out and anxious.
When the brain stays under pressure for a long time (especially in competitive exam prep), it goes into survival mode. In survival mode:
You feel panic “without reason”
You feel emotionally numb or disconnected
You don’t feel like meeting people
You keep craving distraction but also feel worse after it
About social media and this FOMO loop
Right now, social media is doing two things:
It’s overstimulating your already tired brain
And it has become a coping mechanism when you feel empty or restless
So your mind is stuck in a tug-of-war:
When you delete it → anxiety + FOMO
When you install it → more anxiety + restlessness
This is not a willpower problem. This is a nervous system regulation problem.
Yes, it is absolutely okay to step away from social media. In fact, for your current mental state, it’s healthy but don’t do it in an angry, extreme way.
Do it gently and decisively.
For example:
Decide: “For the next 30 days, I will not reinstall these apps.”
Tell one or two close people how to contact you.
And then don’t keep negotiating with yourself every day.
Your brain needs one clear decision, not daily battles.
About avoiding people and social gatherings
When someone is anxious or emotionally exhausted, the brain naturally wants silence and safety. So wanting to stay with your parents and avoid people is completely normal.
But I’ll be honest with you here, like a real counsellor would:
Completely cutting yourself off from the world for 5–6 months is not a good idea.
Not because you’re wrong but because long isolation slowly feeds depression and fear.
What’s healthier is:
Keep your world small and safe
Talk mostly to your parents
Maybe keep 1 very safe friend or relative in touch
Avoid crowds, functions, draining people
Think “reduce and simplify”, not “disappear”.
The symptoms you’re describing are important
You said:
Demotivated
Lost
Emotionally numb / apathetic
Panic without reason
Avoiding people
Mentally exhausted
This is not just “stress”. This is anxiety + burnout + early depressive signs.
This does NOT mean something is wrong with you as a person.
It means your mind and body are asking for care.
About your studies
Right now, your brain is not in learning mode. It is in protection mode.
So if you force yourself:
You’ll feel blank
You’ll feel slower
You’ll feel more hopeless
You don’t need more pressure.
Next Steps
You need very gentle, realistic routine
Short study blocks
And first priority is mental stability
Once the anxiety settles, focus and motivation come back on their own. I see this all the time.
Some very simple, human advice
Please try these
Go for a daily walk (no phone)
Fix your sleep and wake time
Do slow breathing when anxiety comes
Eat regularly, even if appetite is low
Stop judging yourself every day
And please hear this:
If panic, numbness, or heaviness continues for more than 2–3 weeks, please talk to a psychologist or psychiatrist.
Sometimes we need professional support to reset the nervous system. That is not failure. That is maturity.
One last thing, from heart to heart
You are not behind in life.
You are not broken.
You are tired.
And tired minds don’t need punishment.
They need rest, safety, and patience.
If you want, tell me
How long you’ve been feeling like this
Whether your sleep and appetite are okay
Whether panic comes suddenly or with thoughts
I can guide you more personally.