I am a freshman at USC and my grades and overall college experience is being mitigated by an uncontrollable depression from which I am suffering. I have been depressed since the second semester of my junior year, because of bullying reasons, those reasons don’t exist anymore, and the ghost of depression has been chasing me ever since.
I feel terribly unmotivated, unhappy, and uninterested in the world around me. In fact, I have no desire to make friends, join clubs, or even study. My grades have too fallen because of this. I recently got a low grade on my mathematics midterm because I was too down to study for it. Moreover, I have not gone to class for three days because of this.
I tried seeking help by speaking to a therapist at the counseling center - it served to be useless. The mere idea of attending class or studying makes me feel overwhelmed and anxious. I lack will power to such extremes that it is purely depriving me of all the pleasures in life. I have come to the point where I do not know how to make myself happy anymore. All I see is a lonely guy who does not care about his life and forces himself to study material in order to achieve a the almighty degree.
Another attempt I have made towards solving this issue is by pursuing a gap semester. However, this plan came to a halt when I realized the University would give me 5 Ws on my transcript.
All in all, I’m so depressed that I’ve resorted to alcohol (still didn’t help me) and I want to find some sort of advice before I resort to drugs (antidepressants, marijuana, etc…).
If anyone has any advice for me, it is well appreciated.
Talk to your parents immediately, you may need some intensive mental health treatment. You may need your parents help getting a medical withdrawal. You need to get your mental health under control before you can proceed with the demandsof college. Take heart in knowing that you aren’t the first or last student in your situation, but you need some help, serious help, to get through it.
@AriShmari First, let me send you a big hug. You need to immediately speak with your parents as the posters above have stated. I also agree that the right counselor can make a huge difference. You need to find one that you can connect with. Working with a counselor doesn’t always create immediate results so don’t give up so easily. Do not self medicate with drinking alcohol and drugs. This will not help you. It will send you into a deeper spiral. Try to get out and exercise a bit. Get the endorphins going. Sometimes this can help with your present mood. Go for a walk, something simple, nothing crazy.
If you need to withdraw don’t worry about the W’s. You can always explain it down the road. Your mental health is the most important thing right now. You are worth it. Hang in there. Don’t carry this burden by yourself. Call parents and get them involved. Find a counselor that you feel comfortable with and set small goals. Take a deep breath you are not alone.
Do not have biases against medication. Antidepressants are proven to work. If you had some other kind of illness, you would take medication. Depression is the result of a chemical imbalance in your brain. Medication allows your brain to produce serotonin again. Your regular doctor can prescribe medication for you. Talk to your parents today. And find a new therapist.
It would be better to have Ws on your transcript than resort to alcohol. Involve your parents. Your health comes first. Ws for a health reason is not a game stopper.
I’ve heard this story many times and I’ve been there myself. College – and life in general-- can be overwhelming. Talk with your parents and other people. Take some time off. There is no one path.
Thank you all for your responses and consideration. I will talk to a psychiatrist about the issues I am suffering from and see if it is best for me to try medication to get back on my feet. If I see that the medication isn’t the best route, I’ll consider a gap semester and see where that takes me. If you all can think of anything else it’d be much appreciated. Thank you again for your replies!
I feel the same way. I’m not much for advise just wanted you to know you aren’t alone no matter how many times you hear it they’re people that feel like you. My grades are dropping too and I don’t care anymore. I know exactly how you feel no motivation not caring about anything anymore the loneliness.
Don’t let your grades slip to Ds and Fs versus taking a medical withdrawal if you are eligible for one. Those low grades will possibly create a big hurdle when you are healthy enough to resume college. Preserve what you can.
Depression is a chemical imbalance. Go see a psychiatrist. That is a medical doctor who can diagnose your situation and provide the proper dose of medication to help you. Don’t self medicate. Then find a psychologist who can provide therapy to develop strategies for dealing with situations, and therapies to find joy. Over time, as you learn to use these strategies, you may be able to taper down your medication.