Afraid and confused, nowhere else to turn i just need someone to talk to

[Premed:)]

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I'm in a med school medical program and I'm afraid I'm going to ruin this opportunity. I believe I have bipolar disorder and depersonalization disorder along with a whole list of other disorders that I'm sure are present...I'm going to a doctor this week but I want to know how long it will take to get a diagnosis and if these are valid excuses to take a medical leave of absence from my school and give me time to cope and heal. I've never been to a doctor for my mental health, I'm sitting here in a completely unfamiliar state of mind and I don't know what is going on with me but its gotten to the point where I just can't function or even pick up a pencil or even go to class or eat... Will I recieve W's for this semester and be dismissed from the program? I can't even read a page out of the book and its hard for to figure out what to type here. Will they understand? I'm sorry, I just have no where to turn so I posted here...

 

[deleted547627]

I'm sorry, I know that we are not allowed to offer medical advice on here, at least that's what I have seen in the past responses here. For what it's worth, I'm a medical student, too... I can only encourage you to take a deep breath, go do the most relaxing thing you can think of (bubble bath, whatever mindless TV show you favor, sleep, etc.) and, ask yourself, what is within your power to do? And what is beyond your power? For those things that are beyond your power, perhaps try to sit with that and just let that be the case, for now. You don't have to figure out everything in this very moment, right? Maybe come back and visit this page another day, and maybe more knowledgeable people will have commented on here by then, in order to help you. Because I don't truly know. But I do feel that if you take a step back, you'll see that things still have a way of working out. 🙂

 

[3lefts]

I took a medical leave for depression, and I got W's that semester. Getting a residency is going to be a lot tougher with the leave of absence on my transcript, but ultimately the chance it gave me to go through school with a healthy mindset outweighs the expense and challenges. Good luck, and take care.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I agree with the above advice. Don't try to diagnose yourself, that just leads to confusion and frustration. It's impossible to be objective when the subject is yourself. Your physician will evaluate you and decide what happens next. If you need an LOA, they will help you navigate that process. You've done the most important thing -- which is to make an appointment to be evaluated. It's unlikely you would be dismissed if you need a medical LOA. Regardless, don't worry about those things now. Worry about getting better -- the rest will sort itself out.

 

[onid82]

Hi,

If you think you might need some help, then your health should be your first priority. Some schools have mental health professionals / therapists on staff that are there to listen and help. I tried to use this service but didn't find it very helpful. I know others in my class or the year before me that have taken leave of absence - this is easier to do depending on your year. Whether or not you get W's and if that's acceptable to you ... well that decision should probably be made when not in a state of whatever it is you may or may not be suffering from.

Try to see a good psychiatrist if you can find one. No shame in treating your mental health, although it is highly stigmatized in medicine in particular... according to recent research up to 27% of medical students have depression. This is debilitating and can be serious.

http://time.com/4591919/medical-school-depression-suicide/

 

[LasVagus]

On the off chance that you're continuously hitting the refresh button, and finding brief comfort with each new comment that gets posted, I thought that I would take a break from watching The O.C. to chime in. One of the most important skills a doctor can develop is knowing when to ask for help. This refers both to when you are in over your head clinically and when you are struggling in your personal life. Unfortunately, medicine has an obnoxious culture that was created by people who take themselves way too seriously and have an embarrassingly strong need for others to see them as important, impressive, and worst of all, bulletproof. This means that doctors often don't seek help until it's way too late. This often leaves a destructive trail of poor medical decisions, depression, and addiction. Do what many won't: have the courage to ask for help. It will only make you a better doctor.

 

[Premed:)]

thank you, all of you... im teary eyed reading all of your posts. i couldnt have asked for anything more than just a bit of compassion and understanding. im going to get help as soon as i can and i hope that theyll understand. thank you

 

[gyngyn]

I am closing this thread. We recommend that OP seek care from a trusted professional.