Losing my motivation for everything... help!

[browneyes124]

hey guys,
Haven't posted here in awhile. It started last semester and is getting worse this semester. Last semester I was just skipping lectures for a certain class but no other part of my life was affected. This semester after the first month. I was only going to 1/3 of my classes ( I am finishing the work for all of them though) and as of 2 months ago I haven't wanted to work out or anything. I don't want to work. I just feel pretty dull and just like I'm just existing. I thought it would get better with time but obviously it's getting worse. My GPA has suffered because of this and I just feel like it's kind of hopeless at this point. I have a 2.9 and I don't see how I'm going to get it past a 3.3 again... I just don't know how to get out of this rut if that's even what it is. Any advice?
Also my first 2 years of college were amazing and was getting on deans lists and pretty much all As. Idk how it changed so quickly. I've never really had a problem with motivation before.

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[Goro]

Seek to a counselor or therapist, STAT. Your school has these services.

Depression is a real disease. If you were peeing blood, you wouldn't ignore that, would you? Then don't ignore this.

 

[deleted804295]

hey guys,
Haven't posted here in awhile. It started last semester and is getting worse this semester. Last semester I was just skipping lectures for a certain class but no other part of my life was affected. This semester after the first month. I was only going to 1/3 of my classes ( I am finishing the work for all of them though) and as of 2 months ago I haven't wanted to work out or anything. I don't want to work. I just feel pretty dull and just like I'm just existing. I thought it would get better with time but obviously it's getting worse. My GPA has suffered because of this and I just feel like it's kind of hopeless at this point. I have a 2.9 and I don't see how I'm going to get it past a 3.3 again... I just don't know how to get out of this rut if that's even what it is. Any advice?
Also my first 2 years of college were amazing and was getting on deans lists and pretty much all As. Idk how it changed so quickly. I've never really had a problem with motivation before.

As @Goro indicated you likely have depression. There are plenty of quick fixes to functioning well during depression, one of which that I'm currently employing is trying to imagine the reality of not getting into medical school. It scares me and shakes me to my core so its a form of motivation for *me*.

Anyways, that's how I'm doing fine this semester. It certainly doesn't fix depression and if anything it'll make you a bit neurotic so I don't recommend it. These types of tactics however vary on each individual for some it may make them so anxious and aroused that they can't perform well (Yerkes-Dodson law) and for others like me who are too relaxed to begin with it gives the perfect amount of stress to perform well.

Anyways, you're going to need more than quick fixes. You're really going to have to find the root of your depression and this is a lot easier said than done. Starting with University counselors would be a great first start.

 

[altblue]

You come first, and if you work on getting treatment, your grades will probably improve too

 

[browneyes124]

As @Goro indicated you likely have depression. There are plenty of quick fixes to functioning well during depression, one of which that I'm currently employing is trying to imagine the reality of not getting into medical school. It scares me and shakes me to my core so its a form of motivation for *me*.

Anyways, that's how I'm doing fine this semester. It certainly doesn't fix depression and if anything it'll make you a bit neurotic so I don't recommend it. These types of tactics however vary on each individual for some it may make them so anxious and aroused that they can't perform well (Yerkes-Dodson law) and for others like me who are too relaxed to begin with it gives the perfect amount of stress to perform well.

Anyways, you're going to need more than quick fixes. You're really going to have to find the root of your depression and this is a lot easier said than done. Starting with University counselors would be a great first start.

Yeah that worked for me all throughout high school and the first 2 years of college but it seems now even that is just eh but I know I don't really feel that way because I know I couldn't picture myself outside the medical field. I strived in high school (even though I was miserable) because my high school was a very competitive private school so I always was competing with my classmates which motivated me but I feel like college especially mine is alot more relaxed so now I don't have any competition and it is making me too relaxed.

 

[browneyes124]

Thank you guys for the comments. I have been considering this for awhile. Since it is the end of the semester do you think I should just wait till next semester to go see someone? Also since I only have 3 semesters left, am I screwed on the GPA part?

 

[deleted804295]

Thank you guys for the comments. I have been considering this for awhile. Since it is the end of the semester do you think I should just wait till next semester to go see someone? Also since I only have 3 semesters left, am I screwed on the GPA part?

No, I think you should resolve your problems asap. I took some wonderful advice from @Goro and some others on here when I was in a worse rut than I currently am. I was told to go see academic counselors and not 3 days later I spoke with an academic coach. It really didn't help much but I learned the best way that I study and it motivated me to work harder.

Additionally, the longer you wait the longer your problems won't be resolved. I still have a meeting left with the academic coach however due to the long waitlist I likely won't be seen until finals.

Can you imagine trying to meet with a counselor or academic adviser when you really need it only for you to have to wait months due to a long waitlist? I'm happy I took strides as soon as I received great advice because now if I'm crumbling during finals week I'll at least have a meeting to put some measures in place as a safety net.

 

[altblue]

Thank you guys for the comments. I have been considering this for awhile. Since it is the end of the semester do you think I should just wait till next semester to go see someone? Also since I only have 3 semesters left, am I screwed on the GPA part?

Why not start seeing someone now to help you out for the upcoming semester so you hit the ground running?

Maybe... but is your overall GPA a 2.9?

But really, focus on yourself first. The grades will come if you do that, which you're capable of since you've gotten good grades for two years

 

[Goro]

Thank you guys for the comments. I have been considering this for awhile. Since it is the end of the semester do you think I should just wait till next semester to go see someone? Also since I only have 3 semesters left, am I screwed on the GPA part?

You have plenty of time to recover academically!

 

[browneyes124]

Why not start seeing someone now to help you out for the upcoming semester so you hit the ground running?

Maybe... but is your overall GPA a 2.9?

But really, focus on yourself first. The grades will come if you do that, which you're capable of since you've gotten good grades for two years

Yes that is my overall GPA. My science GPA is higher

 

[browneyes124]

You have plenty of time to recover academically!

Thanks. That is nice to hear.

 

[HomeSkool]

Thank you guys for the comments. I have been considering this for awhile. Since it is the end of the semester do you think I should just wait till next semester to go see someone?

Go see someone now, like, today. There's nothing else you can do right now that's more important.

Depression is a real disease. If you were peeing blood, you wouldn't ignore that, would you? Then don't ignore this.

Depression is a well-documented problem in all levels of medicine. To complicate things for doctors (and doctors-to-be), our societal stigma against mental health disorders combines with our personal fear of inadequacy to create a toxic milieu in which we misinterpret depressive feelings in ourselves as a sign of weakness. @Goro is right, though: depression is a disease, which means it's treatable. And it's not incompatible with a career as a high-functioning physician. (Don't ask me how I know that last part. You may infer what you will.)

Also since I only have 3 semesters left, am I screwed on the GPA part?

It's not ideal, but it is manageable. You still have time to recover academically, and you could always take some time to do a post-bacc or master's. But your first item of business should be to get yourself in a better place mentally.

 

[jazzmetal]

do you think I should just wait till next semester to go see someone?

Go now. The terrible thing about depression is that the condition itself saps your motivation for everything, including getting treatment, then the longer you wait, the harder it gets. You've recognized that something is wrong and that was a great first step. You've also reached out for advice, and that was a great second step. You now have to take that third step and go see someone for more advice and treatment. Trust that there is magic in action. Sometimes just putting one foot in front of the other will give you the energy to keep going one step farther. Do it for us too, and let us know how it goes!