Dealing with depression with reduced uni course load

pinktulip · ‎20-05-2020

Hi there,

Is there anyone out there who feels a bit left out regarding Uni because they are doing reduced course loads because they can't have antidepressants (a case of antidepressant induced hypomania) and had semesters off and don't have a part time job because parents are supporting you.

Like for instance, I'm doing a interdisciplinary major and someone asked about the major on Facebook and said that they were thinking about a club....

Anyway, two people were like maybe start a club.... then they looked into the paperwork and were like no....

And then they were like "I work part time"...

I suggested informal meetups but less than 5 people turned up...

Problem is there's a not particularly active slack channel for a group for honours, masters and PhD students re Australia in the field.... and slack channels for professionals in the field...

The bad thing about the major there are only two specific courses and I've already done those....

I thought maybe I should pay someone to talk about stuff relating to this major but my mother was like you probably are smarter .... But you need to use it or lose it

Also I did try to make connections this semester before covid-19 hit and the people only contacted me to ask about assessment items...

So yeah wondering whether part time students with good mental health and a job have an external group of friends..

Or whether they lie about their courseload...

Sophie_M · ‎20-05-2020

Hey Pinktulip, welcome to the Beyond Blue forums.

It sounds like university is causing you a lot of stress at the moment. We understand it's hard not to compare ourselves to others and often it can seem like everyone else is managing so well when we feel we aren't. It's really great that you've reached out to others in your degree and tried to start a club going, although we're sorry to hear that wasn't able to go ahead. Perhaps there's something else you could start in order to get students involved. Could you start an online study group?

If you feel up to it, we'd recommend reaching out to our Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service. The website will be regularly updated with information, advice and strategies to help you manage your wellbeing and mental health during this time. You can also call our dedicated support line, staffed by mental health professionals, which is available 24/7 on 1800 512 348.

We hope that you keep checking in to let us know how you're going, whenever you feel up to it.

pinktulip · ‎21-05-2020

I'm going to drop out I think. Last few weeks I haven't been able to concentrate...

Doesn't help that my depression was triggered by the loss of a friend and I was doing Distance Education for my high school senior because of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the friends who knew the dead friend had already gone to Uni because of my repeating Year 8 due to being ill and doing a 3 year senior... and I hadn't used MSN Messenger (this is ages ago) before doing Distance Education (and I was studious quiet introverted didn't start conservations type just listened at school) - so I'm remembering how hopeless I felt.. (I would think of people when I was grieving and wished that they weren't going through I was going but I felt contacting them would make them miserable the year my friend died - people don't tend to think of you unless there's a strong connection or they see you) and when I've been depressed and not able to study I've been at home...

So the uni tried to do groups and some clubs they had what are you doing to keep sane re COVID-19 so I didn't feel like talking... And they said Semester 2 was going to be online.

No I just feel trapped... Like my mother initially didn't want me do walks outside at all (now only with my father)

And I was trying to do EMDR re past memories but the psychologist been saying I'm too distressed to do and then with social distancing couldn't attempt the reprocessing stage... And they say do a routine... And when I was doing a routine getting depressed. And it seemed that psychologist and my parents only people talking to...

Yeah, and creating a study group I don't have others' problem of casual work run out that they are struggling to pay food and rent bit so my problem it's kind of "invisible" problem compared to others.