Depression no hope for 2:1
I'm doing a psychology degree in my final year and I also have depression.Its not so severe that I cant function but I just have no motivation to do important things like study or enjoy stuff like before.I used to be a high achiever until college.At the moment I'm really unhappy with life and its affecting my grades.I'm so scared about the impact this is going to have on my degree specification like i'll probably going to come out with a third in the ends and this will ruin any chance of a good career.I'm not usually so careless about my studies and I'm getting a mitigating circumstance for my exams to be moved to July but i really just want to get these exams over and done with. In a way i feel like i wouldn't care if i just pass because i want to move on from this part of my life.The only things that worries me is that employers care about degree specifications and what am i going to do with a third? It in no way reflects my ability just my mental health at the moment means i can't do my best.I don't know what to do.I have no energy to revise like I used to and cannot handle the stress.
It might not seem like it right now, but you actually have plenty of options:
- take the exams now, work as hard as you can manage, then if your results disappoint you do a postgrad somewhere down the line.
- take the exams later/redo the year, get as much help as possible. DSA is particularly helpful - I wouldn't have gotten through uni without the study coach they provided me with. Also speak to your lecturers, explain your situation, and ask for any and all help they can offer you. Same if you get on well with any coursemates.
- take a year or two off (for my degree it was required to finish within twice the length of the course, i.e. 4 year course gave me 8 years to complete), sort your head out (don't just piss around doing nothing productive, it'll make things worse), decide if this degree is really for you, then either go back and get all the help, or find something else you're more enthusiastic about.
- actively work on improving your mental health. Take up sports, new hobbies, healthy eating, all the stuff you'd advise other people to do but might not get around to actually doing yourself.
If there are negative circumstances in your life, do what you can to change them. Look into medication and see if it's for you. Try other stuff, like yoga, meditation, acupuncture, anything you like the sound of and that has a bit of evidence to back it up. Also, speak to people. Experts, friends, family, random strangers online (I recommend the Mental Health Support Society), whoever you feel comfortable talking through your troubles with. Remember that you are not alone, and with the help of others you can get through this. 
- take the exams now, work as hard as you can manage, then if your results disappoint you do a postgrad somewhere down the line.
- take the exams later/redo the year, get as much help as possible. DSA is particularly helpful - I wouldn't have gotten through uni without the study coach they provided me with. Also speak to your lecturers, explain your situation, and ask for any and all help they can offer you. Same if you get on well with any coursemates.
- take a year or two off (for my degree it was required to finish within twice the length of the course, i.e. 4 year course gave me 8 years to complete), sort your head out (don't just piss around doing nothing productive, it'll make things worse), decide if this degree is really for you, then either go back and get all the help, or find something else you're more enthusiastic about.
- actively work on improving your mental health. Take up sports, new hobbies, healthy eating, all the stuff you'd advise other people to do but might not get around to actually doing yourself.
If there are negative circumstances in your life, do what you can to change them. Look into medication and see if it's for you. Try other stuff, like yoga, meditation, acupuncture, anything you like the sound of and that has a bit of evidence to back it up. Also, speak to people. Experts, friends, family, random strangers online (I recommend the Mental Health Support Society), whoever you feel comfortable talking through your troubles with. Remember that you are not alone, and with the help of others you can get through this. 
