tell college I have depression?

addicted to caffeine

Hi everyone,

Would appreciative a bit of advice on a small matter, at the moment I'm doing a college course, fairly new to it, I started around 2 or 3 months ago. I've suffered from depression a few times in my life and going through a bout of it at the moment. I've been through a lot in the last 3 months with a nasty break up, starting the course and family members being sick so it's kinda been taking it's toll on me. I have good and bad days but at my worst I don't want to see anyone and my hygiene and things I'm supposed to be doing generally go out the window.

In the last few weeks, the tutors and students have been asking me if I'm ok, to which I reply that 'yep I'm ok'. I've had to take a few days off because of this issue, and the college are very strict on attendance so I am wondering if I should tell them about the depression? I quite enjoy the course on my good days so I don't want to be kicked out etc. If so, how do I word it?

Thanks in advance

tictoc

Go and seek out one of the lecturers and tell them exactly whats going on for you. Go and see your g.p. who will write you a letter which will excuse you from exams etc until you feel well enough to continue.I know its easier said than done but hopefully this helps. My boyfriend had depression diagnosed in his final year, he told no one until after he did his exams which he barely passed. When he spoke to college after they were really sympathetic and told him he should have come to them sooner so that could offer him supports to help him.
Hope you feel better soon

Stavro Mueller

Got to agree 100% with the advice above me. Tell them. I know from my time at college that if people had problems, they could be helpful and flexible. Many colleges also offer a student counselling service so it might be worth checking that out. Definitely though - go to your GP and get that letter. Best of luck and hope you feel better soon

FizzleSticks

This post has been deleted.

mg1982

I had to leave a college course because of Mental health problems but i never told any of the staff. So maybe telling someone is the way to go.

addicted to caffeine

thanks guys I'm away this week on holidays from college but I'll get the ball rolling with that when I'm back next week

Eeden

Hi OP,

Perhaps you could email your course tutor, letting them know that you have been struggling lately in your personal life, and felt the need to let them know in case it might begin to affect your work. You could say that you are trying your best to deal with this and assure them that you are not trying to make excuses. You could also ask for a meeting to discuss these things (if you would be comfortable with that), as they might be able to offer you some form of practical support or even encouragement to ease your mind.

I'm pretty sure they will have had some experience in this area with other students.

Best of luck with this, I know it's hard, but I hope you get through it.

Est28

I'm not sure this qualifies you for an "special treatment" OP. I know times are tough but everyone feels the same at times.

A serious medical condition keeping you out of college would mean you could work things out with your lecturers of course but telling them you're battling depression over a college breakup is unlikely to work in your favor.

Just trying to be realistic here before all the overblown mental health analysts jump on this thread as usual and tell the OP to do things which will work against them.

addicted to caffeine

Thanks guys

Yeah that's true, is kinda the dilemma I'm facing. Not only is the break up, but starting the course and nearly losing my granny to a stroke in a very short period of time, I know that's the way life goes, however it's a dilemma I face on whether it's a special case. Realistically if I continue going on missing days etc I'm going to be told to leave, and that kinda sucks

Stavro Mueller

If you think you're going to be thrown off the course, get yourself to the GP and get some sort of letter to cover your absences. Are you getting medical help for this by the way? Don't go down the road of telling them you're feeling a bit cr&p because of the family issues/break-up. You need to have something medical to cover your ass here. The people running the course don't need to know why you're feeling down - just that you are depressed. Or if you don't want to put the depression word on the cert, maybe your GP can put something else down. But get yourself covered and fast.

Eeden

Perhaps if you let your college know, you could defer your course for a time. I've known people to do this who have had a great result at the end of it. It's worth a shot, rather than giving up entirely, or attempting to get through it when you're not at your best.

Taltos

OP its no ones business what the trigger was this time so don't tell the college the reasons behind it but do go talk to the college counsellor for advice as well as your tutor.
They should have support processes in place and once you engage with them there'll kick in.

Don't sit in this though and hope to get better in your own. Clearly if others are asking they've spotted something's off so talk to them.

addicted to caffeine

Stavro Mueller wrote:

If you think you're going to be thrown off the course, get yourself to the GP and get some sort of letter to cover your absences. Are you getting medical help for this by the way? Don't go down the road of telling them you're feeling a bit cr&p because of the family issues/break-up. You need to have something medical to cover your ass here. The people running the course don't need to know why you're feeling down - just that you are depressed. Or if you don't want to put the depression word on the cert, maybe your GP can put something else down. But get yourself covered and fast.

I'm on 15mg of lexapro so am taking medication, I have an anxiety disorder and depression is part of that. I meet with my psychiatrist every 6 months to a year to see how I'm getting on, i haven't been for a while but I'ld say I'll have my next appointment soon. I'm in London at the moment (taking some days annual leave) but I shall have a chat with them when I'm back on Monday

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

OP, I had a bad bout of depression doing my MA and approached the college about it. I was scared going in especially because I had put it off longer than I should have, but it was fine, they were very understanding and accommodating, as I'm sure they will be in your case. I know when your head's in that space it can be a very difficult thing to do but there are the supports in place that you need. Do get a cert, you don't need to go into details with the lecturing staff, but they are well trained and prepared (or should be) to deal with this. Good luck to you.

silverfeather

addicted to caffeine wrote: »

If so, how do I word it?

Thanks in advance

I have never had depression but I would imagine your GP is your first port of call? I would maybe ask them to write a letter for you. You could accompany it with a letter of your own too. Just say how you feel and your concerns. Talk to the correct staff at the college and ask for a cover letter from your GP.

Hope you are enjoying london.:)

Est28

Again, just trying to be realistic here.

Now, if you had an actual doctor backing you up as to why your course work might be suffering then really I think any college will be understanding of that and do whatever their process is to help anyone with a special case.

They are generally good with this because anything can happen and it's not in anyone's best interest in the end to cause issues with someone not completing their course.

Take note though that the outcome would likely be that they arrange to maybe have some deadlines pushed out for you in the short term, not totally allowing you to fly by the course and not do the work.

What I think people need to be aware of though is the realistic implications of doing this. Lecturers are people at the end of the day. Some will take this as no problem and others will make your life hell over it. I've come across plenty lecturers who will say "No problem" if you ask for an extended deadline and give them a genuine excuse of the amount of work you have in a certain time period. Other lecturers though, just see their course as most important and don't like to compromise. Even if their hand is forced by the college to do it, they won't look favorably on you in the long run.

Again, I'm not trying to be insensitive, I just want to give the other side of this before doing anything rash here. In an ideal world OP, you can do as other tell you and everyone will be sympathetic and nice but it's not always in your best interests.

While I do sympathize with the circumstances you're in and know it's difficult, it's also not anything that the rest of us don't go through at some point and have to grin and bare it and just do our college work or go to our jobs anyway. Some lecturers will look at it this way so I think a little grit to just do your course work like anyone else would serve you best in the long run here.

addicted to caffeine

Est28 wrote: »

Again, just trying to be realistic here.

Now, if you had an actual doctor backing you up as to why your course work might be suffering then really I think any college will be understanding of that and do whatever their process is to help anyone with a special case.

They are generally good with this because anything can happen and it's not in anyone's best interest in the end to cause issues with someone not completing their course.

Take note though that the outcome would likely be that they arrange to maybe have some deadlines pushed out for you in the short term, not totally allowing you to fly by the course and not do the work.

What I think people need to be aware of though is the realistic implications of doing this. Lecturers are people at the end of the day. Some will take this as no problem and others will make your life hell over it. I've come across plenty lecturers who will say "No problem" if you ask for an extended deadline and give them a genuine excuse of the amount of work you have in a certain time period. Other lecturers though, just see their course as most important and don't like to compromise. Even if their hand is forced by the college to do it, they won't look favorably on you in the long run.

Again, I'm not trying to be insensitive, I just want to give the other side of this before doing anything rash here. In an ideal world OP, you can do as other tell you and everyone will be sympathetic and nice but it's not always in your best interests.

While I do sympathize with the circumstances you're in and know it's difficult, it's also not anything that the rest of us don't go through at some point and have to grin and bare it and just do our college work or go to our jobs anyway. Some lecturers will look at it this way so I think a little grit to just do your course work like anyone else would serve you best in the long run here.

thanks for the input