Seeking help for depression and difficulties in university

Understanding depression and its impact

Depression is a serious illness that affects your mood, thoughts, and physical health. It can make you lose interest in activities you once enjoyed, feel hopeless, have low energy, and experience changes in appetite or sleep. Depression is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed away. It is a true medical illness. Severe symptoms of depression can make daily tasks very difficult and take a serious toll on someone’s quality of life. For students, untreated depression can negatively impact academic performance and derail their educational goals. It is important to recognize the signs of depression and seek help from mental health professionals. With the right treatment and support, depression is highly treatable and recovery is very possible.

Prioritizing your health over university studies

Taking a break from university is sometimes necessary

When depression symptoms become severe, continuing with a heavy course load and other academic demands may not be advisable. Extreme stress and depression can form a negative cycle that is difficult to break on your own. Taking a semester or even a year off from university studies may allow someone time to properly address their mental health without trying to do too much at once. Healing should be the top priority over schoolwork in such situations.

Seeking counseling can provide crucial support

Meeting regularly with a licensed mental health counselor is highly recommended for individuals experiencing depression. Counselors are trained to help assess someone’s needs, give feedback, suggest coping tools, and make appropriate referrals if medication may be warranted. They can help equip someone with strategies for managing depression symptoms, processing stressful experiences, and making a healthcare treatment plan. Talk therapy has been shown to significantly improve mental wellbeing when combined with lifestyle changes or medication as needed.

Having an objective evaluation from a doctor

In addition to counseling, setting up an appointment with a primary care doctor or psychiatrist can provide an expert evaluation of someone’s depression severity and suitability for returning to academics. A medical professional can help detect any underlying physical or biological factors that may be influencing mood and recommend an appropriate treatment approach. Their input, along with input from a counselor, can help an individual make the best decision for their recovery process regarding continuing studies or maintaining a semester break.

Adjusting university involvement plans long-term as needed

Creative options may allow gradual involvement

For students who take time off to focus on mental health but ultimately wish to complete their degree, some universities allow for flexible involvement options upon return such as part-time enrollment, reduced course loads, or distance learning. This can prevent being overwhelmed while still making academic progress. Another idea is enrolling at a community college for general education requirements first before rejoining the original university, which eases the transition.

Ongoing self-care is important for staying well

For any student experiencing mental illness, prioritizing wellness habits becomes critically important not just during recovery periods but in the long-run. This involves continuing counseling, sticking with treatment plans from doctors, avoiding substance abuse, getting enough sleep, eating nutritious foods, spending time with supportive people, engaging in relaxing activities, and promptly seeking help for any signs of relapse or new issues. Managing a lifelong medical condition like depression requires ongoing commitment to self-care.

Conclusion

If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of depression, the most caring thing to do is seek help from medical and mental health professionals. Do not try to ignore symptoms or push through them alone, as this can seriously jeopardize wellbeing and recovery. Prioritizing mental and physical health over academics is important, and flexible options exist to make completing a degree still possible over time. You do not have to suffer in silence - treatment works, and a fulfilling life is within reach.