Chrysalis^® News

A student who was admitted to hospital for a year after suffering from chronic anxiety disorder has recovered thanks to an intensive counselling course.

As reported by This is Bristol, Hayley Thomas was confined to her house when she developed the disorder at 15. She had to receive home schooling, but the option was no longer available to her when she reached 16. Hayley was unable to achieve her GCSEs and was eventually admitted to hospital.

She undertook an intensive counselling course and began to attend the City of Bristol College where she gained six GCSEs.

Hayley relapsed after her GCSEs and was forced to take another year out of education. However, she persevered and returned to college to take her A levels.

"Starting my A levels was really challenging," said Hayley. "Everyone had just come from school and they all made friends so easily. I hadn't been in education for a while and found it really difficult to make friends and, at first, I felt a little left out."

She says that support from her tutors helped her. "Since I started my A levels I really feel I've turned a corner. I'm looking forward to the future now, for the first time, and it feels great."

Hayley says she hasn't looked back since her counselling course, and now plans to do voluntary work for a year before applying for a nursing course at the University of the West of England.

"It is more than two years of hard work," said Hayley, commenting on her A level results of an A in psychology, an A in sociology and a B in biology. "It is proof that I can do it, I suppose. Hard work does get you there."