"I couldn't finish my year completely because I had to go back to the hospital near the end. So I left and was in the hospital maybe a month and a half, two months."
"Even if you end up in a position where you're dropping courses or you fail courses, it's not the end of the world. In a few years it's not even going to be a second thought."
"Growing up in a small town, I had this dream that I was going to go away to school - this was something that I really wanted. And then when I went away to school and saw everybody functioning, everybody handling things - and here I was dropping out. I thought it was over."
"Now that I look back, I might not have dropped out, had I known what I know now."
If you're having trouble |
Contacting instructors |
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One of the most important things to remember if you start to feel that you can't cope is that
you are not alone. The Disability Services Office is there for you. If you are struggling with
your course load, feeling that the pressure is too much or having warning signs that your
mental health is starting to suffer - talk to the Disability Services staff. Don't wait for
things to get worse. Don't wait until the day before the assignment is due, or the exam is
scheduled. It's harder to solve problems on short notice. If your illness is starting to interfere with your ability to attend classes or hand in assignments it's preferable to let the Disability Services Office and your instructors know what is going on. This is especially important if you are going to need to request extensions or other accommodations. Unfortunately this is probably the time you feel least able to have this kind of conversation. An email or voicemail message is a good alternative to a face-to-face conversation with your
instructors. It allows you to be clear about your situation without the stress of personal
contact. If you decide to use email, just remember to leave a voicemail message as well,
since some instructors don't check their email regularly. Another option is to write a
note and leave it at the department office or mail it using campus mail. Colleges and universities have strict regulations about withdrawing from courses and not
completing course work on time. Specific deadlines are set out in the college or university
calendar for dropping courses without academic or financial penalties. It is your
responsibility to meet those deadlines. If you withdraw after those deadlines, you will
receive an "incomplete" on your academic record. If you don't withdraw, and don't
complete the necessary course work, you will receive a failure. Deferred standing and other options If you become ill during the year and will not be able to complete a course as a result,
there is another option to receiving an "incomplete" or "failure" on your transcript.
You can "petition" for deferred standing, which allows you additional time to complete
the course. One of the difficult things about mental illness is predicting when things will go wrong.
Some students may need to withdraw from school if their mental health deteriorates. It
can be a difficult decision to make, but a necessary one. It doesn't have to mean the
end of your studies. Many students return to school once their illness is under control. Remember that your mental health always comes first. Don't wait until things become really difficult. Talk to the Disability Services Office. Talk to your psychiatrist or psychologist, or contact crisis services at the local mental health clinic or hospital. Let your family and friends know what's going on. All of these people can help you sort through your next steps. Most importantly, they can give you the support you need to get back on your feet. © 2004 Canadian Mental Health Association. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be copied or reproduced in any form without written permission of the Canadian Mental Health Association. |