Coping with depression during AS Levels - College

Please talk to someone, all colleges have someone that you can talk to, perhaps a counsellor. It will help. The only way I deal with my depression is to think of the future and what things I will be able to do once I get this year over and done with. Try going out with your mates, pick up a side hobby like reading or painting, even it's only for 30 mins a day. I know how it feels to feel as though everyone else is coping and you're not. Do you have any friends you could confide in?

Hi,

I'm in the middle of my A2 exams and last Friday my GP referred me to the city's Mental Health Unit.

For the past 2 years, my mental health has spiralled down crazily and it has now started to affect my schoolwork. I'm an A student, really, and I've been hitting Bs all year which caused my English teachers to worry. I sit in class and constantly think about how pointless life is and I feel empty. So empty. I've lost interest in everything, I don't sleep well, I don't concentrate, I think about death quite a lot. Too much in fact.

(I'm from Northern Ireland, I go to a high achieving grammar school (who constantly top the NI tables; except this year's A Level tables, which has made them up the pressure on us all, horribly.) )

Please, please, please, if it gets worse, talk to someone. Don't be an idiot like me and leave it, and believe that it'll go away. It won't. Trust me, I've been struggling since I was 14, and I'm turning 19 in October, and I'm ONLY getting the help I badly need.

Cesca.

I have a strong group of boys and girls in my friend group who know i find life difficult - but most people get annoyed if you constantly go on about your problems as they find it hard to understand. My main problem is liking myself - i put myself down before i've even tried. Medication did not work as well - it actually made me worse. i also spoke to a counsellor and i didn't find it helped that much.

Hi,

I'm in the middle of my A2 exams and last Friday my GP referred me to the city's Mental Health Unit.

For the past 2 years, my mental health has spiralled down crazily and it has now started to affect my schoolwork. I'm an A student, really, and I've been hitting Bs all year which caused my English teachers to worry. I sit in class and constantly think about how pointless life is and I feel empty. So empty. I've lost interest in everything, I don't sleep well, I don't concentrate, I think about death quite a lot. Too much in fact.

(I'm from Northern Ireland, I go to a high achieving grammar school (who constantly top the NI tables; except this year's A Level tables, which has made them up the pressure on us all, horribly.) )

Please, please, please, if it gets worse, talk to someone. Don't be an idiot like me and leave it, and believe that it'll go away. It won't. Trust me, I've been struggling since I was 14, and I'm turning 19 in October, and I'm ONLY getting the help I badly need.

Cesca.

I can sympathise, I did not like medication either. What things are you good at? What things do you enjoy?

thank you for your reply and i'm sorry you feel like that. I am trying my best to solve it - speaking to family/some friends, but i almost feel like no one can help me and it's something i need to solve - i just don't know how yet.

Elliot

I'm good at maths and i'm good at chemistry when i work hard. And with media studies i'm good at the editing and filming coursework part because i enjoy it, but the english involving exam isn't my cup of tea. It's just my confidence which is the issue - i don't think i'm good enough or even will be good enough for the exams - i have it in my head there isn't enough time, even with the long easter holiday.

I know exactly how you feel. But really, go to your GP if you feel like you don't know what to do. I don't particularly like myself either and I have been to counselling once but I'm willing to try it again. Don't dismiss anything until you've exhausted all aspects of it.

"When you determine what you want, you have made the most important decision of your life. You have to know what you want in order to attain it."- Douglas Lurton.
"With hard work there is no obstacle"-Fegan

I understand, I really do. And there's no easy answer to solving these feelings. The only way I've ever been able to make myself feel better with those kinds of thoughts is to be big-headed about the things I'm good at which I guess then levels out my disappointments in myself. i.e. "I may suck at this one subject, but I'm still the best at this other subject, hands-down." I don't know if this'll work for you but maybe focusing on the aspects of what you do well can help you increase your confidence. Have you been practicing past-papers? They always make me feel better once I get my teachers to mark them, since then I know where I stand.

I went to my gp and they gave me anti-depressants. But they didn't help me - they actually made me a lot worse.

Have you actually been medically diagnosed with depression?

While these quotes may be inspirational to others, due to my current thoughts, they're are not, sadly. My feelings completely override them.

it's not true, i work hard and have a lot of obstacles.

Yes, and my doctor gave me anti-depressants (beta blocker sort of things).

Yes, and my doctor gave me anti-depressants (beta blocker sort of things).