Coping with mental health in school

[mddoc64]

Hi, I have epilepsy and things haven’t been going well lately. I had just gotten into med school prior to covid, but my episodes picked up to a point where I decided to get surgery. I deferred for a year, got the operation, and I recovered well physically. I got the ok from my doctor, and was so excited that I chose to come to school. Unfortunately, I didn’t do well academically or personally health-wise, and I may need to postpone school again. Mentally, I’m so split b/c I’ve pursued med school for so long, but my own health has suffered. I’ve been speaking with a counselor and things generally go well, but I return to my own negatives which doesn’t make me feel good. I know I’m young and there’s still plenty of opportunities for me, and my own health is the most important thing, but I’ve been really hurting internally lately.

If there’s a DO/MD/PhD student with epilepsy, or now a professional, that’s had to get past a similarly difficult scenario, can you please just tell me that things will get better and there’s a light at the end of the tunnel? I’ve told my counselor that it’s like I’m in a room and yelling so someone can hear and come to help me, but unfortunately no one can hear me.

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[Damson]

Hi, I have epilepsy and things haven’t been going well lately. I had just gotten into med school prior to covid, but my episodes picked up to a point where I decided to get surgery. I deferred for a year, got the operation, and I recovered well physically. I got the ok from my doctor, and was so excited that I chose to come to school. Unfortunately, I didn’t do well academically or personally health-wise, and I may need to postpone school again. Mentally, I’m so split b/c I’ve pursued med school for so long, but my own health has suffered. I’ve been speaking with a counselor and things generally go well, but I return to my own negatives which doesn’t make me feel good. I know I’m young and there’s still plenty of opportunities for me, and my own health is the most important thing, but I’ve been really hurting internally lately.

If there’s a DO/MD/PhD student with epilepsy, or now a professional, that’s had to get past a similarly difficult scenario, can you please just tell me that things will get better and there’s a light at the end of the tunnel? I’ve told my counselor that it’s like I’m in a room and yelling so someone can hear and come to help me, but unfortunately no one can hear me.

hey! posting on here was a good call, you get different opinions to process and try out

I picked up on the word "cousnelor". By counselor do you mean an epilepsy specialist/psychiatrist?

 

[Booksandshoes]

This is a tough situation, but what helps me when I doubt myself is that the school believed in me. They chose us because they saw potential in us and believed that we can be good physicians. You are doing your best given the circumstances. Do you have a good support system? That is really helpful, and those are the people to lean on when you are feeling negative thoughts. It is also a good idea to reach out to the school and see what kind of support/accommodations they can offer to help you. Hope this helps!

 

[mddoc64]

hey! posting on here was a good call, you get different opinions to process and try out

I picked up on the word "cousnelor". By counselor do you mean an epilepsy specialist/psychiatrist?

I have a mental health counselor and an epileptologist. They’re good at what they do, and have helped as I’m recovering. I’ve been able to meet consistently with my counselor. I’ve had post-surgical symptoms which I’ve been dealing with and weren’t evident until school got more intense, but I feel like overall I’m getting better as I adjust, just not at the pace I originally assumed

 

[mddoc64]

This is a tough situation, but what helps me when I doubt myself is that the school believed in me. They chose us because they saw potential in us and believed that we can be good physicians. You are doing your best given the circumstances. Do you have a good support system? That is really helpful, and those are the people to lean on when you are feeling negative thoughts. It is also a good idea to reach out to the school and see what kind of support/accommodations they can offer to help you. Hope this helps!

I do have a good support group, family, and friends when I need them, but I hesitate bringing my full feelings up to them because I’ve felt like they don’t fully understand what I’m going through. I eventually do but I put it off for these reasons

 

[deleted1100659]

psychiatrist here. When I was in residency, the class two years above me, the chief resident had epilepsy. They were very accomodating and didnt give him night shifts or things that would cause him to be sleep deprived. He made it through and ended up doing well for himself.

itll be tough, but impossible? Nope, not impossible.

 

[mddoc64]

psychiatrist here. When I was in residency, the class two years above me, the chief resident had epilepsy. They were very accomodating and didnt give him night shifts or things that would cause him to be sleep deprived. He made it through and ended up doing well for himself.

itll be tough, but impossible? Nope, not impossible.

That’s great to hear and I’m glad that things were accommodating. Unfortunately I haven’t been doing well academically too. I’ve been focusing on school maybe a little too much vs my own health and it might hurt my future career aspirations.

 

[mddoc64]

I really appreciate your support and encouragement here. I greatly benefit from conversation which is why I wanted to get your input. I just get annoyed that I tend to return to an anxious state that’s been exacerbated by these effects from the epilepsy and surgery.