Uni student struggling with mental health
I am a final year biomedical sciences student who plans to apply to medicine this year (for the fourth time). I have been struggling with depression and social anxiety for the past 7 years and only recently went to my doctor about it. I am on antidepressants but they dont seem to be working well. I have lost all motivation to get out of bed, study and do anything productive. I have tried explaining this to my parents but they dont seem to understand (they are the best parents by the way). What do I do? I have been getting really bad marks for the past 2 years of my degree and need to get really good marks if I want to get into medicine. Can someone give me advice about this?
The meds will take time to work. I’d go back to your GP as they maybe able to give you more help.
Eating foods such as turkey, banana can help, also lettuce if you don’t sleep well. Good nutrition is a must.
Daily exercise doing something you can enjoy.
Build a daily schedule if you can. So set the alarm and force yourself to get up and do basic hygiene. Eat breakfast and go for a walk. Just build on getting the basics done every day.
Try keeping an emotional journal. Just write out your stuff your worries, past crap, anything that comes to mind. Once you feel better you can burn it - it’s very cathartic.
Try visualising your crap is out in a dustbin, then you out it for the rubbish men to collect.
Try to keep your room tidy.
Just be kind to yourself. Don’t listen to negative self talk. Be your own best friend.
Eating foods such as turkey, banana can help, also lettuce if you don’t sleep well. Good nutrition is a must.
Daily exercise doing something you can enjoy.
Build a daily schedule if you can. So set the alarm and force yourself to get up and do basic hygiene. Eat breakfast and go for a walk. Just build on getting the basics done every day.
Try keeping an emotional journal. Just write out your stuff your worries, past crap, anything that comes to mind. Once you feel better you can burn it - it’s very cathartic.
Try visualising your crap is out in a dustbin, then you out it for the rubbish men to collect.
Try to keep your room tidy.
Just be kind to yourself. Don’t listen to negative self talk. Be your own best friend.
This sounds serious. I really want to help you because I have definitely been in almost the exact same situation and only just managed to rebuild my life and feel better recently.
For context my story is that I was on antipsychotics (I know this sounds like my mental health must have seriously bad or that I am crazy but I assure you that's not the reality) but more recently I was prescribed antidepressants. I was suffering for literally years with very similar symptoms as what you have until I went to the mental health nurse at my GP (I was with a community mental health team at the time who were useless and kept prescribing me sleeping tablets, so dumb) who told me I was depressed and could do with antidepressant meds. The first antidepressant didn't really work but then I tried Sertraline which worked like magic. I instantly felt better, got my life together started travelling and got back to uni. But don't get me wrong things aren't perfect, I'm still having issues with fatigue but overall my mental health is intact thank god!
So, my tips for you? I would:
a) Try to get proper professional help because clearly whatever help you're getting isn't working at the moment. Tell them all your symptoms and if it takes seeing a private doctor, do so (if you can afford it)
b) Have you tried switching meds? It sounds like you've only tried one antidepressant so maybe it doesnt suit you, but another might?
c) Have you explored the idea of a therapist? It can be really helpful to talk through things with a regular therapist even telling them the small things that they can give tips on. Hopefully you find a good therapist cos they're not all good tbh.
And of course you've probably heard before about exercise, a good routine, good sleep etc.
I really hope you find your way. I know exactly how you feel esp when you lose your way with studies, get better soon!
For context my story is that I was on antipsychotics (I know this sounds like my mental health must have seriously bad or that I am crazy but I assure you that's not the reality) but more recently I was prescribed antidepressants. I was suffering for literally years with very similar symptoms as what you have until I went to the mental health nurse at my GP (I was with a community mental health team at the time who were useless and kept prescribing me sleeping tablets, so dumb) who told me I was depressed and could do with antidepressant meds. The first antidepressant didn't really work but then I tried Sertraline which worked like magic. I instantly felt better, got my life together started travelling and got back to uni. But don't get me wrong things aren't perfect, I'm still having issues with fatigue but overall my mental health is intact thank god!
So, my tips for you? I would:
a) Try to get proper professional help because clearly whatever help you're getting isn't working at the moment. Tell them all your symptoms and if it takes seeing a private doctor, do so (if you can afford it)
b) Have you tried switching meds? It sounds like you've only tried one antidepressant so maybe it doesnt suit you, but another might?
c) Have you explored the idea of a therapist? It can be really helpful to talk through things with a regular therapist even telling them the small things that they can give tips on. Hopefully you find a good therapist cos they're not all good tbh.
And of course you've probably heard before about exercise, a good routine, good sleep etc.
I really hope you find your way. I know exactly how you feel esp when you lose your way with studies, get better soon!
Please don't hesitate to continue posting about your situation in this thread because I will keep up. I was in such a bad mental place that I used to post on TSR all the time. Now I'm better I feel like posting a happy thread actually telling everyone how I've healed. Lol.
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