Suffering from depression. Any advice?

College Confidential Community
1

<p>I'm currently about to graduate from a community college with an A.A. in pre engineering and I will transfer to a local public university to study for a bachelors in mechanical. Overall, I am really depressed for a number of reasons. The most important being that I will have to move out of my parents house and into an apartment near the university. The problem is that I don't really have the financial means to do that and yet I will have to do it anyways. I don't want to struggle financially while I study for such a difficult degree. The last thing I need is to go to school hungry and stressed out. I've tried my best to apply for scholarships, but I'm not sure if I will actually receive any and my gpa is only a 3.2. </p>

<p>Another problem is the difficulty of the classes I have been taking. Calculus 1-3 as well as physics, chemistry, etc... I'm not sure if I'm smart enough to continue. What if the gap in difficulty between cc and university is greater than I anticipated? Then I am screwed. Anyways, I meet with an adviser from the university in a week and I'm not sure if I should explain my situation to her or not. </p>

2

<p>Engineering programs usually have excellent tutors lined up. Take advantage of all office hours and tutors to help. If you graduate with engineering you will be able to pay back loans. Perhaps you could take loans to help with food and rent. Definitely talk to the advisor and the financial aid department. You could also get a job and keep studying part time. Most of all, depression is treatable with the right help. Recognizing that you have it is the first step. Talk to your family doctor and hang in there.</p>

3

<p>Are you sure you’re suffering from clinical depression or are you just saying you’re really, really worried about how this’ll all turn out? You seem to be attributing your “depression” to your worries about your future. Actual clinical depression usually shows up as a lack of motivation to do anything or a general feeling of hopelessness, both of which you don’t seem to have. You seem more stressed out than anything else.</p>

<p>Moving on. Can you try getting a job over the summer? Can you negotiate getting a little extra pocket money from your parents to afford food? Can you try sharing an apartment unit with a couple other people to lower the costs?</p>

<p>Studying over the summer is a good idea. I’m not informed of on-site tutoring services but I suppose if you can ask around or find out if any and what’s available, that’d be a great help.</p>

<p>Imo I don’t see why you wouldn’t want to talk to your advisor about this unless she’s a big jerk or has proven disparagingly unhelpful in the past. Presumably she’d be an expert on these kinds of matters, right? So go ahead and talk to her about it. Chances are she might have talked with others who are going through your same situation and can help you out.</p>

<p>As for depression, from much personal experience and from the experience of others, it seems that the most effective way to get out of depression long-term is to find a good friend who will listen to you, support you, and be of good guidance to you. If you don’t have any friends or family like that at the moment and you’re sure you can’t truly reach out to any of them, then I would suggest seeking a professional therapist and trying to meet people via online forums (I’ve met plenty of great folks at Personality Cafe.) </p>

<p>Don’t start medication until you’ve figured out whether your problem is a largely an attitude one or a chemical one or a combination of both. And if/when you do take antidepressants, keep in mind that they are NOT a quick fix. If you are truly suffering from depression then there is something much deeper at hand that you need to come to terms with. Low self-esteem and deep uncertainty seem to be common among depressed people; for the most part, when you begin developing true, unconditional confidence in and love of yourself as well as an acceptance of life, who you are, and your limitations, that’s when you’re on a path to beating depression.</p>

<p>Depression IS beatable and I have faith that you’ll make it through. There’s nothing wrong with being depressed. All it is is a stage of life and a chance to grow. And if you’re ever in a real awful rut, remember that there are 148918 other people out there who feel the same way. You’re never really alone.</p>

<p>PM me if you like. Best of luck!</p>