Studying with Depression

Here are just a few ideas to help people with depression:  See your doctor. I cannot stress this enough. If you think that you might be depressed, please see a doctor or a counselor to talk about it. If you are depressed then they can give you med sor arrange for therapy to help yu. You don’t have to go through this alone and unaided.

School and Class Tips:

Look into the services that your school/university provides. Some will offer counselling services, and some can extend deadlines because of your circumstances. Don’t feel bad about using these services; they’re there to help you.  Go to your classes. It might seem hard but you’ll be grateful when it comes to exams and you don’t have lectures to catch up on.  Work in school. School is designed to be a productive environment, with all of the resources that you need. After several years, your brain might have learned that work happens in school so you might be more productive there than at home.

Have a good study playlist. There are some songs that are just really motivating, and those will be great for when you’re feeling down but know that you have to work. There are loads of great playlists available on Spotify and 8tracks if you don’t want to make your own. 

When looking for accommodation at university, there may be an option to choose a quiet room. If not, check out the residencies; there will usually be some naturally quieter places. 

If you feel comfortable, talk to your tutor about how you’re feeling. If they know what you’re going through then they can offer extra support and direct you to the relevant services.

Looking After Yourself:

Keep your room tidy. It can be difficult to stay motivated if you can’t find anything or feel like you don’t have anywhere to work.

Some people can even find the regular cleaning calming.

Make friends. They can be on your course or living with you. They can support you on bad days, and they can help you not cut yourself off. It’s important to have fun.

Reach out. If you’re having a bad day don’t be afraid to talk to someoneone. If you don/’t want to talk to someone in person, there are services online. You can also try using BlahTherapy.

Avoid binge drinking. It can stop the effects on antidepressants for a few days which isn’t good. Here are some tips about cutting down your alcohol intake.

Eat and stay hydrated. There’s not much more to say here.

Stay organised. Get a planner, and use it. Track deadlines, tasks, and homework. There are lots of different types of planner, from chronodexes to bullet journals, to standard store bought ones. Choose a planner that suits you.

Be active. You’re probably sick of hearing all about how exercise releases neurotransmitters that will make you happy, but it does. Plus, it can help clear your mind and focus you. And, you know, it has long term benefits on your general health. If you haven’t exercised for a while, start with just a walk everyday.

Have a sleep schedule. Stick to it. Try to go to bed at the same time, and wake up at the same time. There’s a timer here that can help calculate both of these for you based on sleep patterns. Don’t feel bad if you need more or less sleep than others.

Try to relax. Things like yoga, exercise, reading, listening to music, and others have all been shown to relax you. I also have an anxiety tag full of tips and ways to relax.

Take a day off every now and then. Look after yourself and do the things you like, whether that ‘s a face mask, going for a walk, or just watching some TV. 

As a final note, I want to say be proud of everything that you’ve achieved, and know that you are enough!