The Student Room Group

Motivation for Exams and Depression -- Help!

My exams are starting in just a few weeks, and...well...I'm a bit nervous (bit of an understatement!). I'm trying to revise but with no such luck. It seems everything has decided to happen just as exams are around the corner, and I've no idea what to do.

The fact that I want to go to university alone should be motivation enough, but for some reason, it's not. I've got depression (have had this for yonks) and it's getting worse because I know I'm not motivated enough, and I'm thinking that as it's getting worse, so are my chances for even *being* motivated. And then I get even more down, etc. It's like a huge circle. Also, my physical health isn't exactly at its best (I'm tired all the time, feeling dizzy, getting lots of headaches, etc.). I've been told by my teacher that my health should come first, but I can't really put exams back at this crucial time!

And then there are several problems at college, with various teachers leaving etc. (one left only last term!). We've been told by a teacher or two for a specific subject that we weren't looking at any higher than an E (even though we know we can do better). But with that and the staffing problems, our confidence in our ability for these exams have plummeted, and definitely attributes to the lack of motivation on our part (we think we'll fail, so we don't try, etc.)

Any idea on how to get motivated? My doctor, who I'm seeing about the depression, tells me to "plod along" but considering it's a struggle to even go about daily activities, plodding along doesn't seem good enough, you know? I'm also being told to take a day at a time, but when you've got college and parents talking about university and how important these A Levels are, it's kind of hard to forget the fact that the exams are this big, important part of it, and that everything really rests on them.

If anyone can help, that'll be fantastic!
Reply 1
I feel your pain. Maybe it helps if you think about how lucky we can be to take re-sits if we mess up so first time it won't be the most important thing in the universe. Exams pass by so quickly and the worst is usually the time approaching the exams. I too feel sad and feeling the pressure and depression and want to do well as much as you. What are you thinking to do for degree? Remember also that even if you do not get into the university you want to first time you will always have a chance to apply in the second or third year at a better university and of course you always have the option of taking a gap year if you do miss the grades. This journey of exams are not the straight and narrow path. There are other paths in life and we travel down those paths for reasons that we may not understand now but later on we will have benefited in ways that we may not have if we went along everything perfectly first time. Not to turn this into an essay but a cousin of mine went to apply to study Medicine and he was an excellent student with many A*s and great science and math student but he was rejected by all 4 of his Medicine universities. He had low self confidence and social skills. He after that got AAB but did a re-sit and got AAA and re-applied with experience from the gap year. His work experience came in useful making his self esteem and confidence with people much better and he decided he was more ready after the gap year than he ever was straight out of sixth form. He got all 4 unconditional offers. This might seem to most people that a gap year for Medicine is a waste of time but he really found it had helped him a lot and knew exactly where he wanted to go in life whereas just after sixth form he really was not sure. He also needed the money so I guess that was another bonus. My point is do not worry about what lies ahead. We all will get to where we want to be in the end with a little hard work but not overworking or stressing too much about things.

Wish you and everyone else luck in their exams.
Reply 2
Perhaps you could tell your parents that you know there only caring but your aware of how important these A levels are and you dont need the extra pressure of being reminded???
Try not to say it in a unappreciative nasty way.
Doing some relaxation techniques would be good for you to do it once a day im sure youll have time to do it for 30 minutes.
Also perhaps doing some exercises if your able to, it will make you feel better and it will help you feel better at night, so youll feel more motivated in the morning.
Try not to listen to negative attitutde from others either, like you quoted before you know you can do better so stick with that in your mind.
Feel free to PM me if you want to ask anything else.
As above, exercise is a very good thing to do. Have you thought about going running every day or somthing similar. In fact, it doesn't matter what you do as long as you take your mind off things and get out of the house. Whatever you do, don't let yourself feel guilty because you think you should be working all of the time. If you try to work all of the time you will become very stressed and work ineffectively - it's just a fact.

I had a similar experience at GCSE. All I can advise is that if you get to a point where you feel really down you should talk to somebody. What I mean is that you just say everything you are thinking, let it all out instead of keeping it all inside you. Obviously you wouldn't feel like doing this with most people - I went to my parents but you may prefer to go to somebody else. Similarly, if you are really down having a good cry can help relieve some stress.
Depression can make even the simplelist of tasks seem amazingly difficult. I've suffered from depression a good few years now went through it with my GCSE's (including an OD) and my A Levels. Exams don't make things any easier cos of the stress that goes with them, and i know where you're coming from with the lack of motivation. I have suffered badly with that during my first year of uni :s:

I know exams are important, but they are NOT the be all and end all. Thee are resits, you can take a year out etc. If you ut too much weighting on them then it can easily seem like something you can never acheive-but don't forget, you can acheive them. You can pass them. Those teachers who told you you'd get nothing more than an E, well **** them! Prove them wrong, i was continually told by one teacher i'd amount to nothing, i proved her wrong and passed. Another (my media teacher-i studty media now, so it wa smy most important subject) said she'd be surprised if i got an E and that aiming for B was beyond me. Well **** her cos i got my B and i damn well deserved it. Don't let people tell yuo you are not worth something, that you won't get there. You are capable of it no mater what they say, and that feeling you get when you prove them (and yorself) wrong is amazing! Try to motivate yourself by working towards somthing like that.

I'm not saying the next few months will be easy, but if you can summon the courage to get through it will be worth it in the end. And hell even if at worst you fail etc, like i said you still ahve chances to try again. Remeber, "success is not the falling down, but the staying down". I hope you find a way to get through, and best wishes with your exams :smile:

Not sure if you have seen a doctor, but it might eb worth a trip. It could be that anti-depressents may take the edge of the depression, or that seeing a counseller means you have someone to open up to when you need to get things off your chest-they are there to help. Also make your school aware of your depression and how its affecting your work. it is NOT your fault, and there are practices (such as extensions/extra time) that are there for people like you an i, people who need that extra bit of help, don't be ashamed/or scared to ask.
I'm in nearly the same situation unfortunately... personally, i find the best ways to cope are to have someone to talk to, someone who you trust implicitly and can tell anything to, and to keep thinking about the best things in your life. oooh... and music helps too, never underestimate its effect on your mood.

I wish you the best of luck with pulling through... I'm sure you'll do just fine =]
With my family as well, it's like any mistakes I make, I won't be able to forget. For example, I made a right pigs ear of my GCSEs (which is something I know and agree with), but at every opportunity, my grandparents (who are pushy and everything I hope to God my parents won't be to my children; my nan used to be a teacher, so...yeah) tell my brother, as long as he's in the same vicinity as I am, that he has to do better than me. They describe the grades I got, they talk about what's acceptable and what's not, etc. The grades I am proud of, they talk about how it's not good enough and how an A's better (which I know, but for God's sakes!). They also talk about my first year at college (last year), and how I should have chosen the subjects I've chosen this year back then. Which doesn't really help. I can't change the clock back or anything.

If I take a gap year or end up retaking, they will *judge* me. If I fail or screw up these exams, they will take it to mean I can't handle college. My nan's already wondered why I'm still doing it, because it's obviously not for me. But I want to get to university and do Occupational Therapy. And getting my A Levels seems to be the only way I can get out of Gloucester (and away from *them*!). And all this should be motivation enough, but it's not. I just can't bring myself to work.

EDIT: Is it possible to ask to be put on anti-depressants (my doctor said it wasn't the right time at the moment)? And how would they affect my moods? I know that some people end up worse off by going on them.
sorry to say, but it's unlikely that your GP is going to prescribe you anti-depressants.depends on your age i would say.if you are over 18 you may be lucky.
Reply 8
Anonymous
sorry to say, but it's unlikely that your GP is going to prescribe you anti-depressants.depends on your age i would say.if you are over 18 you may be lucky.




Antidepressants, if anything, are given out too freely, for a variety of ailments. The problem in this case is that virtually no antidepressant will make a difference before the original poster's exams. The antidepressants likeliest to be used first (the SSRIs, Prozac especially) take up to six weeks to have any noticeable effect.
svidrigailov
Antidepressants, if anything, are given out too freely, for a variety of ailments. The problem in this case is that virtually no antidepressant will make a difference before the original poster's exams. The antidepressants likeliest to be used first (the SSRIs, Prozac especially) take up to six weeks to have any noticeable effect.


I'm on Citalopram, and it took 2 weeks for them to kick-in. Also, I don't think anti-depressants are given out freely, as doctors are usually reluctant to give any to people under 18. I was put on them because I self-harmed.

Also, doctors, in many cases, don't just put you on anti-depressants. They usually chat to you and give you leaflets on the different types on anti-depressants. The side-effects for prozac are dire, so I've heard, and it's not very good if you're revising, as it can make you drowsy.
That sounds extremely familiar, I'm in my second year of college doing AS's and one A level including lots of retakes as i didn't do too well last year. Subsequently i'm doing a third year, and as it happens all of my close friends are doing the same because of diff reasons like stress, illness (because of stress) lots of people have the same problem! You just have to remember you have the whole of your life ahead of you, what you are doing if for YOUR OWN happiness so decide what it is you really want to do in your next few years like what subject you want to study at Uni and research it and possible career paths!!? I have to be one of the least motivated people in my college, at least that's what it feels like but i'm finally deciding what it is i want to do and looking at how to do it! It's as simple as that! :smile: Goodluck, only push yourself as much as you feel you want to and can! Take care.