If you're currently at uni, how to you manage your degree with your MH issues? I'm currently REALLY struggling. I'm studying chemistry at a top uni, and it's really getting to me. I love chemistry, just not when I'm ill, and right that's more often than not (I have a rapid cycling mood disorder btw). Do you have CMHT support or do you rely more heavily on the uni services? I'm at a complete loss as to what to do right now. I don't want to leave my course, but I'm beginning to wonder whether that's going to end up being the only option.
"Keep your heart open to dreams. For as long as there's a dream, there is hope, and as long as there is hope, there is joy in living."
Most uni have a counselloring service, maybe you could book an appt and see one of them for some assistance and advice?
Also, i know my uni had it and most do, but there may be a disability type service to help people with disabilities when at uni. I know they helped me alot but giving me extra time in exams and granting extensions for assignments.
You could also speak to the lecturer/tutor about how to approach things in chemistry?
Anyway, hope that helps a tad and gives u some ideas of where u can go. Good luck with ur studies there.
I use the local mental health team for support at uni at the moment, mainly because they're just more specialised than the uni's support services. But our uni has an eating disorder team and a counselling service who are all very good, and the GPs are very good too.
And like Jetforce says, disability services tend to be very helpful - it means that if you're struggling you might be able to get extra time, separate rooms, extensions, concessions, or just some support to help you work.
Do you have a personal tutor or someone you can speak to?
I use a mixture of CMHT and uni services. I've had to take time out due to illness but uni have been fantastic with both offering support and trying to sort out alternative arrangements so I'm not disadvantaged because of my mental health. Do you see anyone through the uni? If not maybe find out if your uni has a mental health advisor, mine does and it's probably been the most useful thing as it's been about emotional support but also practical advice and liasing with my school when I've needed extensions or alternative arrangements. I tried uni counselling, but personally I found them very poor! I also receive disabled students allowance and through that I have note-takers in lectures and also mentors who help me organise my workload and things which I find very helpful as I get very disorganised and bogged down when I am struggling.
i studied chemistry at uni and all i will say is dont try to do it alone. i had university counselling, therapy and a CPN throughout my time at uni and my tutors knew i had MH problems so i got extra support and special dispensation for my attendance. With all that help i did eventually pass but i couldnt have done it on my own.
ive been at uni for 8 years due to my mental health, if thats any comfort. they are flexible, they have to be by law.
i was like you at the beginning, trying to do it alone. then things started spiralling, my friends started noticing my strange behaviour etc so the uni mh nurse became involved, then it progressed to my gp and then community mental health services. ive been in and out of hospital throughout these 8 years.
ive found the uni great. they work with me to support me when im well, but back off totally when im really ill and cmht take over more...im talking hospital/crisis team stage tho, if its just a bad few days nothing changes.
basically what im saying is dont struggle alone. these services are there to help you. make the decision to carry on for yourself but try the support side first, and if you feel you need time out, why not consider defering till the following year?
As others have said, please don't try to do it alone, I did as I was worried that I would be treated differently, this led to me dropping out in my second year even though my marks were very high, I just couldn't cope with the stress and pressure. x
Every uni's support is different, like many towns different support is available 0 dependng on charities in the area, size of the town/city etc, rate of illness in the area, psychiatric hospital, number of CPN's, crisis team, early intervention etc.
At my uni (small small town) the university services are very good for SOME people. They are linked closely with the CPN's and Dr's and thus can get you seen by a CPN quickly in some cases - for me I was seem randomly one day in the office then shipped to hospital - then my next experience was a phone call and I was at the CPN's office later that day with a lift of the uni support workers. This close link allowed me to get treatment very quickly. But I know others at my uni who have not managed to get as good a service, so it all depends on how busy they are at the time. The university has always allowed me to drop in to have a chat when I need it. They also have student supporters who would go for coffee with me, cinema, help organise my studies. Some unis have this, others offer more of an academic support than emotional.
I have also been in contact with the disibilities advisor, who would put it onto my records that I had a mental illness wich would mean I may miss classes more than others and may need extensions, and to grant these to me.
They have helped me with money. Provided transport to and from hospital. I can email them quite freely.
Most of the departments I have studied in have been very good to help with my needs from time to time. Others have not. I am lucky that I am in a university which the student support services have a power over 'most' of the departments. However this can work against you in some cases.
But all in all 'most' of my experiences with uni support services have been positive - the negative ones were because I was too close to some workers and people were getting upset, I was getting paranoid, and things got out of hand. But thats all in the past. I know that they do their utmost to support me, and when they can't help they will find me further help. They don't judge me, and take me for who I am, and have watched me go through suicide attempt to stable to suicide attempt many times now and don't give up on me.
Sorry I don't know if this is what you wanted to know. But there is a lot of students struggling with mental health problems and every uni should be taking care to provide support for them. If they can't they should have links to services that can - and possibly have some pull with them so you don't have to wait on a massive waiting list.
Just make an initial appointment, and soon you will be able to find out what help they can offer you.
xx
You made up your mind to torture mine!
If you read a scar like a book, you will relise the story in which you over look
I've got a meeting with one of my tutors in a bit just to explain what's been going on and why I won't be getting my maths in. I'm just hoping it'll be ok. I'm now back at uni and although term hasn't started I'malready getting wound up with work. I'm justhaving to do little bits at a time and just hope that I'll get by. Then I've got to see my GP and the college chaplain to sort out other support on Wednesday. Busy busy; I've just got to hope that this mini-high will last long enough to get me through all of this!
"Keep your heart open to dreams. For as long as there's a dream, there is hope, and as long as there is hope, there is joy in living."
I got in Uni, came clean about my MH/Selfharm bla bla and they through me out! I was totally gutted and so embarrased! I would do anything to go back and not tell them. So please dont leave Uni. The hard work will be worth it in the end. Keep going girl! You'll make it! XX
How come they threw you out?! Surely that's against all disability laws etc?
I saw my tutor earlier and he was lovely. I came clean about my second overdose to them, and just said what had been happening. He's got to obviously inform my other main tutors, and possibly the head of my college just so that I'm covered come exams and so that they can sort arrangements out.
I've done some work today. It's going ok. I'm getting there. :) It's going to be tough, but I'm determined. My MH is not going to ruin my life.
"Keep your heart open to dreams. For as long as there's a dream, there is hope, and as long as there is hope, there is joy in living."
