<p>Hey guys, I am looking for some advice here. I just got kicked out the end of this semester for some mental health issues, and I'm really angry about it. I appealed the dean's decision but they didn't want to let me back to campus. However, I'm still allowed to finish my classes for the semester because I just have papers to write basically. Hopefully I'll finish those soon, and at this point I'm just waiting for when I can go back to school as they said I could come back once I get my issues under control. There's a possibility I can go back in the fall but it depends on what the dean says. I was supposed to be doing an internship this coming summer but because of my issues the school decided that they didn't want me doing it. So, I'm just living at home and volunteering some. I am just hoping for time to pass quickly for when I can return to school. I guess, does anyone have any advice for time to pass quicker? Should I be worrying about when I might be allowed back? I would really like to be in school. I am just freaking out right now because I don't know how much time I need to fill or anything. Any advice or words of support would be greatly appreciated, thank you!</p>
<p>Well, my first thought was this: Have you taken out any loans in order to attend school? Those loans will be have to start being paid on 6 months after your last date of attendance. So, if you don’t go back in the fall, you could be faced with having to start making monthly payments on loans. What other stipulations did the school make that you need to meet in order to be granted re-admission? Work on those very, very seriously.</p>
<p>Yes, I have loans I’ve taken out to attend school. I don’t know if I want to worry about paying them back come the six-month grace period ending so soon if I end up not going back in the fall. However, I am pretty sure I would return in January if I don’t in the fall. I’m not really sure exactly what the school wants to happen in order for me to come back, so I have contacted them to clarify that. I know they talk to my therapist from home and decide, but I don’t know what they’re looking for exactly and I want to be able to work on reaching those goals during the summer.</p>
<p>What, exactly, are you doing to deal with the issues that caused you to be suspended from school? You will need to deal with these issues, and convince the school that you have improved significantly and have your issues u see control, before they will welcome you back to campus.</p>
<p>What year are you? If your mental health issues were serious enough to warrant dismissal from the university, it’s probably not a good idea to return for next semester. You might want to see how feasible it is to enroll in community college courses to avoid repaying student loans while you seek help.</p>
<p>So far I am seeing a therapist and I did get put on some medication. However, I was doing this before they kicked me out and they knew that I was doing it too. I asked what else I’m supposed to be doing, what they would like to see for me to come back, but was told I need to wait for them to talk about it. I’m now even angrier because they kicked me out saying that I could come back, but didn’t even have specific conditions for what I could come back under.</p>
<p>And I am now finishing my third year of college.</p>
<p>Wishmunk, is your problem in the area of anger management by any chance? I am not making fun of you, I am trying to get a handle on your problems so as to help you where you are, rather than giving you generic advice.</p>
<p>Nope. I’m not actually sure I want to get into what it was, but I felt like I was getting support from the school that they decided to no longer give by throwing me out. I guess it became too much for them so I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do exactly to be able to come back, still waiting on an answer for that.</p>
<p>Did you actually do anything wrong or is it just because you have mental health issues? If it’s the latter, file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights because that’s illegal.</p>
<p>I didn’t do anything wrong, our college is so small that we don’t even have anything like an Office for Civil Rights. I think they made the decision because they wanted to do what was best, and me being on campus wasn’t it. I don’t think the decision was totally fair though because I was still getting most of my work done and had these issues on the side.</p>
<p>And for those of you who were wondering about the things that need to happen for me to come back:
-Therapy once a week for six months-- although I’m trying to see if the school would allow me to go twice a week between now and when school starts to speed things up in exchange for letting me back in the fall. i feel like this is the one big thing standing in front of letting me back, the whole six-month thing.
-continue to see a psychiatrist
-release to talk to my practitioners
-do an agreement with them (in terms of support) about what will happen once I return there.</p>
<p>Wishmunk, six months is really not all that long a time. Offering to double up on the sessions might or might not work…sometimes the changes that need to come to you (and that you need to work hard for) need time to develop and solidify. Your school is not against you–it wants to you to be healthy, strong and capable of succeeding and they are trying to structure a framework that will help you to be successful.</p>
<p>I don’t know what your issues are, and it is not my business–but my guess is that the school thought that your issues made you a risk to yourself, or to others, and were of sufficient seriousness that they did not want to be responsible for the safety of you or others on campus until your issues have resolved.</p>
<p>I hope that you are getting good help! Work hard to get your mental health back. I know it’s only the internet, but from your posts in this thread, it seems as if you are more concerned with getting back on campus than with dealing with whatever issues underlie your removal from campus.</p>
<p>Doubling up on therapy might help. Then again, the school doesn’t have to accept you back even if you do follow through with all of these things so I hope you’re prepared for that.</p>
<p>First of all, I must say that it would be really helpful to know what happened. Maybe not even specifics but at least a general idea. Giving us facts could help us determine if something illegal happened on their part OR if you even have likely chances of returning. I have to agree with other posters that it might be best just to not go back there. I would personally want to move on to a new college and turn that chapter of my life over. I agree that the focus seems to be more on getting back in rather than getting professional help. Please realize that if a college felt like they needed to kick a student out, your mental health issues might be larger than you realize. I truly wish you luck and hope you will keep us updated.</p>
<p>To address what the poster was saying about the Office of Civil Rights, I don’t think it’s a school specific thing.</p>
<p>[Office</a> for Civil Rights](<a href=“http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html]Office”>Office for Civil Rights | U.S. Department of Education)</p>
<p>Seems to be more federal.</p>
<p>it doesn’t matter about how we or the OP perceive the events that resulted in the OP being asked to leave campus–</p>
<p>the only perspective that matters is that of the school. </p>
<p>Unless and until the OP convinces the school that it is desirable for him to be back on campus–which means 1)acknowledging that he does, indeed, have a problem (which so far he doesn’t seem to do–it’s all about how to get back on campus, rather than how he is ready to be back on campus); and 2) that he has complied with any and all conditions set by the school, and that he will continue to comply, so as to make a repeat of the situation, whatever it was, unlikely–the school is not going to want him back on campus.</p>
<p>Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like the OP is either spectacularly self-unaware or in massive denial.</p>
<p>Sometimes I honestly am more concerned with getting back to campus then dealing with what’s been going on. Since it’s a mental health thing I sometimes believe that it’s not a real issue and that it will just go away. </p>
<p>I now have a financial issue which prevents me from going to therapy twice a week. Unless anything can be done about it then I’ll have to just stick with once a week but I’m wondering about paying for even that too. I contacted the school to see what they want me to do about that.</p>
<p>I really don’t believe anything illegal happened on their part. I actually agree with the decision, and looking back they probably should have told me to leave sooner. I have been told that I am definitely allowed back, but the question is “When?”. I won’t know for sure when until the time gets closer.</p>
<p>I have seriously thought about transferring, however, I only have one more year and have concluded that it wouldn’t make sense to switch schools at this point.</p>
<p>Wishmunk, sorry for the late reply. You seem much more self-aware now. As for therapy, do you have a free therapist in your area? Sounds bizarre, but some cities actually do! Continue to focus on your mental health. I understand the “believing it’s not a real issue” and that it will “go away.” My boyfriend is bipolar (also has borderline personality disorder and is a substance abuser in recovery as of 2.5 years ago). The realization doesn’t come overnight. Depending on what issue you have, going to a meeting (let’s just say alcoholics anonymous or narcotics anonymous) might count as “therapy” to your school. Also, NAMI (national alliance on mental illness) has monthly meetings all the time in cities everywhere. It is a group therapy session and they’re free to the public. Good luck, Wishmunk!</p>
<p>Well, roughly seven weeks later the school finally got back to me about what they wanted me to do. All they told me is that they can’t help me financially. I asked their opinion on starting at a different place but am awaiting their reply. I think they want me to acknowledge I have the problem enough that I would pay for this myself. I completely acknowledge that I have a problem, but I really don’t need to go to counseling. I think at this point some time off from school would be good, but I don’t want to waste people’s time (the counselor’s and mine) if it’s not medically necessary.</p>
<p>by “place” i mean different counseling agency, with a sliding scale as opposed to the one i’m going to now, really expensive even with my insurance… i just don’t want them to be like “you haven’t been with the same counselor long enough” and therefore not want me back, ideally they wanted me to be with the same counselor for 6 mos. straight but because of the financial thing that happened this summer that didn’t happen.</p>
<p>for anyone who is still following this: i am in the process of deciding whether or not i would like to return to my school. i told my dean that i am thinking about it and they didn’t seem to care either way what i do, although acknowledged that i did make valid points when i mentioned reasons why i might leave.</p>