Hi College Student,
You are at a point in your life where your education is the center of your world. You’re focusing on classes, career paths, and your future. Maybe your have parents holding expectations over you; or student loans forcing you to keep an exact academic schedule. Whatever your reasoning, you are probably putting your societal obligations above your health.
I’m here to tell you to listen to your body more. If you are having an issue, you deserve to address it. College is stressful. You may feel anxious, depressed, and tired beyond compare but there comes a point when these things become pathological. College doesn’t have to be the worst experience of your life. If you start feeling depressed to the point where you can’t function anymore, you have a right to do something about it. You don’t deserve to feel down all the time. Talk to your family and friends. Tell them how you are feeling. Plan out the next steps together.
Maybe you can try reducing your class load next semester. You shouldn’t be so stressed out about finishing college in a certain time frame. If it ensures a happier experience, finish your degree a little slower. Maybe you need medication and therapy. Don’t be afraid to take this path. Not all people have identical brain chemistry. Some people need a little more help to function like others. Maybe you need to take a leave of absence. Sometimes other options don’t help as much as they are suppose to and you need to detox from the major stressors in your life. This is a perfectly fine option. Sometimes mental health issues can attack you completely by surprise. It’s okay to take a break from it all and focus exclusively on your health. You deserve to feel well and perform academically to the best of your ability. You can always come back to school later.
Sincerely,
Someone Who Puts Their Mental Health First