Trapped, Ignored, and Fighting to Survive
I am sharing my story anonymously because I need help, and because I’ve been failed by the very systems that were supposed to protect me.
I came to the UK full of hope, carrying years of savings from my home country, dreaming of an education and a future I had worked so hard for. I was in my early twenties when I arrived — old enough to understand responsibility, young enough to still have everything ahead of me.
But what should have been an exciting journey became a nightmare I couldn’t escape.
During my first year, I faced overwhelming trauma — personal losses, emotional abuse, and serious medical issues — that left me unable to function normally. By the second semester, I could no longer focus on my studies. I tried, I really did. I love learning. I love university. But my brain froze. I couldn’t leave my room, couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t even read without feeling panic. Every attempt to study ended in fear, despair, and physical exhaustion.
I reached out to the university therapist, explaining everything. I said clearly: “I want to study. I love university. But I can’t focus. I can’t leave my room. I need help.” Despite this, the support I received was insufficient and sometimes harmful. I was misdiagnosed with a serious mental illness, which added fear and confusion, making everything worse.
Eventually, I was placed on a support plan meant to help students in my situation. It should have helped — extra exam time, rest breaks, coursework extensions, allowances for absences — but it came too late, and critical support never materialized. I was too overwhelmed and isolated to advocate for myself effectively.
At the same time, I lived in student accommodation. After being forced to leave university, I had to stay for months because the only way to cancel my contract was to find a replacement tenant. I reached out for help, listed my room everywhere I could, called repeatedly, sent emails, and provided medical evidence of my extreme hardship — but no one helped. I was left alone, paying for months I couldn’t afford, trapped in a place that worsened my mental health every single day.
Every day was a battle. Nights were filled with nightmares and panic. Mornings were heavy with dread. My body ached from stress. I was a young woman navigating rules, language barriers, and a system that actively ignored me.
Now, I am facing a debt I cannot possibly pay. It isn’t just money — it’s the symbol of everything I lost: my education, my savings, my trust in the institutions that promised to protect me. I feel like I am carrying this weight alone, every single day. I work now, just to survive, but I am still barely keeping my head above water.
I share this story not for pity, but because I need help. I need pro bono lawyers, housing advocates, or anyone who can help me fight this injustice. I have documents, medical letters, support plans, emails, and records showing I tried, over and over again, to reach out for support.
This is not a story of laziness or avoidance. This is a story of someone who fought to survive, who asked for help, who was ignored, and who now seeks fairness. I am determined to rebuild my life, but I cannot do it alone. I feel like my twenties are being stolen by a nightmare that is not ending.
I really don’t know how I can fix this situation. Every law firm I’ve contacted has said they usually defend the company and side with whoever has more power and money. I hope sharing my story can reach someone who truly cares..
I came to the UK full of hope, carrying years of savings from my home country, dreaming of an education and a future I had worked so hard for. I was in my early twenties when I arrived — old enough to understand responsibility, young enough to still have everything ahead of me.
But what should have been an exciting journey became a nightmare I couldn’t escape.
During my first year, I faced overwhelming trauma — personal losses, emotional abuse, and serious medical issues — that left me unable to function normally. By the second semester, I could no longer focus on my studies. I tried, I really did. I love learning. I love university. But my brain froze. I couldn’t leave my room, couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t even read without feeling panic. Every attempt to study ended in fear, despair, and physical exhaustion.
I reached out to the university therapist, explaining everything. I said clearly: “I want to study. I love university. But I can’t focus. I can’t leave my room. I need help.” Despite this, the support I received was insufficient and sometimes harmful. I was misdiagnosed with a serious mental illness, which added fear and confusion, making everything worse.
Eventually, I was placed on a support plan meant to help students in my situation. It should have helped — extra exam time, rest breaks, coursework extensions, allowances for absences — but it came too late, and critical support never materialized. I was too overwhelmed and isolated to advocate for myself effectively.
At the same time, I lived in student accommodation. After being forced to leave university, I had to stay for months because the only way to cancel my contract was to find a replacement tenant. I reached out for help, listed my room everywhere I could, called repeatedly, sent emails, and provided medical evidence of my extreme hardship — but no one helped. I was left alone, paying for months I couldn’t afford, trapped in a place that worsened my mental health every single day.
Every day was a battle. Nights were filled with nightmares and panic. Mornings were heavy with dread. My body ached from stress. I was a young woman navigating rules, language barriers, and a system that actively ignored me.
Now, I am facing a debt I cannot possibly pay. It isn’t just money — it’s the symbol of everything I lost: my education, my savings, my trust in the institutions that promised to protect me. I feel like I am carrying this weight alone, every single day. I work now, just to survive, but I am still barely keeping my head above water.
I share this story not for pity, but because I need help. I need pro bono lawyers, housing advocates, or anyone who can help me fight this injustice. I have documents, medical letters, support plans, emails, and records showing I tried, over and over again, to reach out for support.
This is not a story of laziness or avoidance. This is a story of someone who fought to survive, who asked for help, who was ignored, and who now seeks fairness. I am determined to rebuild my life, but I cannot do it alone. I feel like my twenties are being stolen by a nightmare that is not ending.
I really don’t know how I can fix this situation. Every law firm I’ve contacted has said they usually defend the company and side with whoever has more power and money. I hope sharing my story can reach someone who truly cares..
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