We were in the home stretch of enduring finals, term papers, google docs and crashed laptops at the most inconvenient of times. Exams are torture for everyone on campus. However, these stress triggers are master facilitators of negativity for those who suffer from mental illness. Statistics have shown that 30% of college students suffer from depression and other mental illnesses. The worst news, females are significantly more susceptible than menIf we use our university as a sample population, it would mean that of our 18,503 undergraduate students, approximately 5,550 members of our population could potentially have a relevant condition. Keeping in mind that the numbers are stacked against ladies since 58.2% of our student body are female.
How lucky are we to be here?
Students with mental illness are generally on medications that require a set sleeping schedule, all-nighters can mess up your schedule and cause dangerous episodes. Exam week, in all honesty, can be very dangerous if you don’t approach it the right way. The university provides Counseling and Psychological Services located on the third floor of Campus Health for consultations and assistance with matters like this. However, there are other measures you can take to get through stressful trigger situations in the college atmosphere.
Talk to your professors about papers and exams. Many of them are familiar with cases like yours and will help you to plan out an appropriate schedule for studying the material in chunks so that you are not overwhelmed. If you get too overwhelmed do not be afraid to explain your situation, they may be able to help you find a way to alleviate the pressure. Mental Illness comes with stigmas but this university does an excellent job of supporting the somewhat delicate situations. So don’t be afraid to approach faculty about your issues. I am sure they would much rather you confide in them than you fail miserably because you didn’t ask for help. Bradley Cooper, yes THE Bradley Cooper, spoke out encouraging people to seek help. You cannot deny the legitimacy now. Holy smokes.
Cooper at mental health conference
Talk to your friends. There are people who may be feeling the same way but are just afraid to talk about it. And if they don’t suffer from depression, severe anxiety, bi-polar disorder or any of those, someone close to them probably does and in most cases they are only all too willing to be your encouragement. Sometimes you lose the willpower to do anything at all when an episode occurs. Especially not study. So, surrounding yourself with people who are engaged in the learning environment can be useful in encouraging you to do the same, do not avoid people. Isolation can worsen the issue. If you can’t feel the stimulants that are normally associated with your activities, do them anyways. If it’s the very last thing you feel like doing, that’s what you should be doing. Depression often causes people to avoid the things that were once major priorities to them, for instance your education. Even on medication, it is sometimes hard to manage day-to-day activities when you are experiencing a slump. Consider the small actions and be encouraged by each one.
Make lists every day, especially during exams. Preferably not the recent Lindsay Lohan kind, hilarious and scandalous though it may be . Divide your list into small, manageable tasks that you can check off and feel as if you accomplished something. Depression can sometimes feel as if time has stopped. Making lists and checking off each minute detail can guide you through one day at a time so that you don’t stop living your life. Exams are in the present, they are happening right now even if you can’t feel the pressure or importance of them.
When your mental illness takes a turn for the better because you sought help and made an effort to pull yourself out of that rut you’re in, you deserve to be congratulated on your persistence. Giving up is easy, it’s the natural inclination of those who suffer the most. But, you have a whole life ahead of you that depends on the here and now. Focus on the big picture. If nothing else, remember where you are and that there was a reason you were accepted here in the first place. You CAN do it. A very famous alumni once said “I can accept failure, but I cannot accept not trying.” Hold yourself to that standard, and hold your head up my fellow Tar Heel women, you can get through this! TWO. MORE. DAYS. Summer is upon us!
Michael Jordan in class during his time at UNC