The Student Room Group

Trying to revise while depressed

I've dealt with mental health issues since I was 13 and to say they have impacted my life would be putting it lightly. I'm 19, having restarted year 13 this school year after taking a medical leave last year as I genuinely would have offed myself if I tried to continue through the year. I've been much more successful trying again this year but obviously, that is not to say it hasn't been tough, it's been absolute hell to say the least but I have just trudged through regardless as I feel like I'll be disappointing my mum if I give up again.

Now, A Levels are around the corner and my revision has been pretty scant prior to now trying to juggle the depression, revision and coursework. I wasn't worried because I am just naturally smart and tend to do well in my subjects so I'm confident I have the ability to do well but it's just my mind working against me as per usual. It's like 2 weeks before my first 3 exams and I want to commit myself completely to revision so I can have some added confidence but wow it is really difficult trying to revise when there is a massive cloud of self-sabotage over you. To anyone in a similar position, how on earth do you manage? I just want to put this stage of my life behind me and move on but it would be a lot easier if it didn't feel like hell whenever I put a textbook in front of me.
Original post by paparie
I've dealt with mental health issues since I was 13 and to say they have impacted my life would be putting it lightly. I'm 19, having restarted year 13 this school year after taking a medical leave last year as I genuinely would have offed myself if I tried to continue through the year. I've been much more successful trying again this year but obviously, that is not to say it hasn't been tough, it's been absolute hell to say the least but I have just trudged through regardless as I feel like I'll be disappointing my mum if I give up again.

Now, A Levels are around the corner and my revision has been pretty scant prior to now trying to juggle the depression, revision and coursework. I wasn't worried because I am just naturally smart and tend to do well in my subjects so I'm confident I have the ability to do well but it's just my mind working against me as per usual. It's like 2 weeks before my first 3 exams and I want to commit myself completely to revision so I can have some added confidence but wow it is really difficult trying to revise when there is a massive cloud of self-sabotage over you. To anyone in a similar position, how on earth do you manage? I just want to put this stage of my life behind me and move on but it would be a lot easier if it didn't feel like hell whenever I put a textbook in front of me.


My daughter is in a very similar to you at the moment, her first A-level is in 2 weeks and she's certainly had a lot of struggles over the last few years... Her best coping strategy has been to spend time planning what she is going to be doing during the summer once the A-levels are over. Going out with her friends, shopping trips in town, getting to the beach for a few days out and planning a meal with everyone on results day etc. She's found that having those things to look forward too is helping her treat revision less like a barrier and more like a stepping stone as it helps to make it more manageable for her. Good luck with it, a lot of the struggle is working out what your own personal barriers are and if this isn't a tactic that'll work for you then I wish you well in finding one that is.
Reply 2
Thank you so much for the advice! I hope your daughter gets through this to the best of her ability, it's been super tough for people like us and I really hope we can prove our minds wrong and succeed.

Original post by BeingBoring
My daughter is in a very similar to you at the moment, her first A-level is in 2 weeks and she's certainly had a lot of struggles over the last few years... Her best coping strategy has been to spend time planning what she is going to be doing during the summer once the A-levels are over. Going out with her friends, shopping trips in town, getting to the beach for a few days out and planning a meal with everyone on results day etc. She's found that having those things to look forward too is helping her treat revision less like a barrier and more like a stepping stone as it helps to make it more manageable for her. Good luck with it, a lot of the struggle is working out what your own personal barriers are and if this isn't a tactic that'll work for you then I wish you well in finding one that is.

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