DIFFICULTY ADAPTING TO CHANGE The questions below were raised by visitors to the STOMP (Straits Times Online Mobile Print) website in the AskST section of the website. eMenders doctors provided the answers to the questions raised as a public health education project. The information provided below is of a general nature and should not be treated as a replacement for medical advice. You should seek consultation from a medical or healthcare professional about your specific medical condition.
Question:
I can't seem to adapt to things that are deemed to be unfamiliar. For example, I've had the same friends since secondary school, and it takes me very long to make new ones. And I am always skipping school to find peace in familiarity, for example at my grandparents' house. They used to take care of me.
What's wrong with me? And most of the time, I don't like to believe that reality is fact. I tend to have my mind elsewhere, and in the end I get confused over the time, dates and so on. Can you please help?
Answer:
Being rigid and sticking to familiar things or people is often seen in introverted individuals and people with obsessive tendencies. Other possible diagnoses include social phobias, anxiety and depression. A degenerative process could cause similar symptoms in older individuals.
As the information is brief, please call 1800-7389595 (Mount Elizabeth Charter Services) for a free assessment by a counselor. The counselor may then refer you for further assessments either at a public or private institution.
DR. TAN CHUE TIN is a Consultant Psychiatrist at the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre.