Mental Health Support Society XVIII

Right, Saber. You're being *way* too hard on yourself first of all, so I'm going to give you a hug Also, well done on the dissections, you did a great job and should be proud. Try not to think 'well even though I've done well, I did rubbish in X so I'll never get my grade up'. Give yourself where credit is due. Don't try and think about it as a massive picture, take each and every day like a new beginning. I averaged 63% in my degree, but had results as low as 30% and many around the 40s. It doesn't mean you can't finish with a respectable grade. It's ok to find it difficult - you must also remember that you are dealing with a hell of a lot more than your spouse had to. Mental illness and studying don't usually mix and it's tough, but it doesn't mean it won't be worth it. It is also worth mentioning that other people have faith in you - you would not have been admitted onto the course if the staff did not think you were capable. It sounds like you have a hell of a lot of pressure on you in terms of lectures. I could never ever learn from a lecture, so didn't bother going. Have you got a disability advisor or a tutor you can confide in? Sometimes lectures are recorded for those with disabilities, which can help. Or you could get a Dictaphone, so you could listen back at your own pace. It sounds like you need support with managing your mental health difficulties and your studies together, and I would suggest you tell whoever you can about what's going on for you, before you get too behind.

Good luck with your exam!

Big hugs! You're always in my prayers chook. *

I'm okay. Just things are very wobbly at the moment. But have lots of support in place this time- am very lucky.

I know! We need a catch up- it's been ages! *

Thank you for the reply Scary. And the hug

Things are a little different here - an A is 90%, B is 80%, C 70% etc so a 36% is really, really bad. I have a lab exam tomorrow and a lecture exam on Thursday and combined they make up 25% of the class - so even if I was to get 100% on each I'd only just scrape a D.

I have neither a disability adviser nor tutor. I went to the disability dept. last semester and they can't help with anything until I get a detailed report from a psychologist. I have a "academic adviser" but I think she's mostly just to make sure I'm taking the classes I need to etc. I'm not sure if I can talk to her about my mental health. :/

So yeah...things are pretty bad. The professor for this class puts videos online but they're more introductory for each topic. I was on top of things at the start of this class but now I've fallen way behind as I just cannot concentrate during lectures or even reading the textbook by myself at home. Things just seems to be getting worse and worse.

How're things with you?

Just found out my English tutor from last semester died of a short illness on Friday past.

But that's *one* mark, Saber. Try not to fixate if you can, and base your worth and your envisaged future on that (also once I'd written the reply, I also remembered that I got 5% in my astrophysics module in second year ) so honestly, it's alright. there's a way to move forward. Is there a chance you could get a report from a psychologist? I would speak to your academic advisor - she probably won't be able to help directly, but you have an issue that is affecting your work, and she might be able to put you into contact with other services that could help. I would also suggest emailing the professor of the module and asking for some advice/let them know you're struggling. They might be able to give you some 1:1 help, or signpost you to services or resources of help. It's important you tell *someone*

It is very understandable and I'm sorry. But congratulations on the dissection, you did it on your own merits and you got the scores you did by your excellent ability. Have more confidence in yourself, you're on the right track.

In regards to your work, can you not speak to a course leader?

I know that sometimes blocks of text can be overwhelming but try looking at things holistically. Look at the whole text and read it, a few times if you have to. Then deconstruct it and learn concept by concept. You don't have to keep going deep into sources and definitions; you don't need to do things chronologically because I feel like concepts piece together in the end and you'll understand by learning all of the different components that make up a whole. I hope this helps (it seems to help me), and I hope you feel better soon.

P.S. You are most certainly not a loser, quite the opposite, it sounds like.

Anyone ever tried a depression support group? If so, how was it for you?

Lonliness is a big trigger of my depression, and I've tried many ways to battle it but with not much luck. I've found a depression support group in my area and I'm thinking of going along to try it. Part of me hopes to make friends there, but even I I don't, then at least it might help in other ways?

Thank you for the reply Scary. And the hug

Things are a little different here - an A is 90%, B is 80%, C 70% etc so a 36% is really, really bad. I have a lab exam tomorrow and a lecture exam on Thursday and combined they make up 25% of the class - so even if I was to get 100% on each I'd only just scrape a D.

I have neither a disability adviser nor tutor. I went to the disability dept. last semester and they can't help with anything until I get a detailed report from a psychologist. I have a "academic adviser" but I think she's mostly just to make sure I'm taking the classes I need to etc. I'm not sure if I can talk to her about my mental health. :/

So yeah...things are pretty bad. The professor for this class puts videos online but they're more introductory for each topic. I was on top of things at the start of this class but now I've fallen way behind as I just cannot concentrate during lectures or even reading the textbook by myself at home. Things just seems to be getting worse and worse.

Anyone ever tried a depression support group? If so, how was it for you?

Lonliness is a big trigger of my depression, and I've tried many ways to battle it but with not much luck. I've found a depression support group in my area and I'm thinking of going along to try it. Part of me hopes to make friends there, but even I I don't, then at least it might help in other ways?

Hei!

I would even say, a bad grade is also okay, a pass is a pass. It is pretty late, so I write shorter, as I should go into bed, after only having procastrinated.... have an exam, though ....

Maybe I am here around more often again... wanted to avoid the Brexit debate, but now, just, , at least I am know more experience, that life doesn't allways play, as you want it, a younger me would have been totally destroyed.

That with the psychatrists sounds really annoying ... though I hope you can make it there some time. Good luck for studying!

It is indeed It was made the 'Mental Health Support Society' to encompass all mental illnesses

Passed the first year of uni!! so happy right now

Well done!!!!
Now you can go and enjoy yourself for the summer

Hi, yesterday night I had a huge panic attack, I couldn't stop hyperventilating or shaking. I couldn't sleep, nor have I been able to sleep for a good two weeks now. I can't get on with my day, I can't think straight and I can't focus on anything.
My life objectively would be seen as probably very good, I come from a quite fortunate background, I'm studying the degree that I want (Physical Natural Sciences) at the University I want (Cambridge) achieving the grades that I want (Currently on a comfortable first class). My life has been successful all around. But something nags me. I'm not quite willing to share why I think I had this panic attack, but I don't have a history with mental health or anything, I have been very clean with regards to that. However, I have had to deal with very close friends who are/have gone/going through depression for various reasons, but I'm quite sure that this has nothing to do with it.
How do you deal with a panic attack? I would like to think it was a one off, but recently I'm not too sure anymore.

I've been feeling quite down recently with various events striking me. Things that I thought were going well, weren't. Things that I thought I had under control, weren't. I feel like I'm being pushed away, neglected. And my responses to those are negative and filled with emotion. I don't know how to deal with it.

The best thing to do is just try to forget about it, because if you keep thinking about it, you will eventually possibly develop a fear of having a panic attack which would lead to having a panic attack about the fear of having one. [This happened to me].

Try some breathing methods when you have a panic attack, like breathing in and out really slowly and if it gets really bad, try and seek help because it could be a lot more serious. It could be more than the occasional case of stress or some sort of phobia response.

Sometimes, they can be one-off's, but in other cases it could be panic disorder beginning to surface. Not to scare you though.

I'm guessing you mean forget about the panic attack, that much is fine, but the reasons that lead to the development of it are not easy things to forget. They are ongoing things that go on in my life and things that have developed quite recently (over the past 2-4 months). The reasons are quite personal, although I say my close friends couldn't have triggered this, but one of them happened to be my girlfriend and that quite possibly is what is triggering this. She is going through an extremely tough time and I can't stop thinking about it, I can't stop feeling helpless, I can't stop feeling like I've failed her. All these things lead me to breakdown.

I'll take your advice on board for the panic attack, if one pops up in the future, which at this rate, is quite likely.