For people who dropout due to mental health/depression, how do you start trying again?

[Bitterman1996]

Context: I'm a college dropout after several years into the course. I'm 22 rn, practically a NEET though I have min wage part time job.

I honestly don't know if I should try college again since im pursuing art and generally being pessimistic about life. Did you try again? Or do you just got a decent enough job to sustain your life? I just want to hear people's experiences because I'm too socially awkward to ask anyone irl (nor do they have mental health problems)

 

[Life_and_Death]

they kicked me out of school at the beginning of gr11. when i am able to (disorders are in the way) im going to get my GED then go to a baking college about an hour away (assuming i dont move to another province which ive been thinking about (it might be good for me to get away from the past) of course the only thing that would change is the college id go to but i still hope to get my GED and go to college, but i probably wont move. change isnt exactly my thing, ive been putting off a move across town)

edit: i should have clarified, my parents caused me a lot of stress and i went from As and Bs to zero participation. instead of wondering why (especially after i left the vice principles office screaming "i dont have parents so i guess im not coming back" ) they left me to walk out the door. what a wonderful system we have here.

 

[Deleted member 1465]

I dropped out and then I went back. I just pretended I was okay, gritted my teeth and bulldozed through, using booze as a way as coping. I don't recommend this approach! I don't know, it's tough. It take it you'll be facing the same issues again that caused you to drop out?

 

[Sk1n1M1n]

I would only drop out of my hallucinations come back and I'm admitted back into hospital for longer periods and cannot catch up.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

I dropped out at the age of 20 from an animation degree at a university because the work was too hard and I'm not as good at drawing as I hoped I could be. My fearfulness and paranoia was at its peak at these times and I started seeing lots of crazy shit while also being depressed about being terrible at art.

When I was 22 I suddenly got the urge to try and get a business degree knowing that it's way easier and is actually quite flexible when it comes to finding jobs. I decided to downgrade to community college and try a couple classes and finish general education.

I'm 26 now and I am about to graduate soon from a different university than the one I was originally going to. I don't even like business that much and I don't retain any of the learning but it's still easy enough (thanks to online answers). I would say that if you really want to try college again, start with what seems easy and see if that suits you.

 

[Bitterman1996]

I dropped out and then I went back. I just pretended I was okay, gritted my teeth and bulldozed through, using booze as a way as coping. I don't recommend this approach! I don't know, it's tough. It take it you'll be facing the same issues again that caused you to drop out?

Not being skilled enough, practically at the low end spectrum for academic score even though I don't have to repeat year, social anxiety... The turn off point was when I'm 18 on the 3rd year and having to write the final paper requires having to constantly chase the professors / academic advisors. My mental health at that point also wasn't great, I quit later on finally.

I dropped out at the age of 20 from an animation degree at a university because the work was too hard and I'm not as good at drawing as I hoped I could be. My fearfulness and paranoia was at its peak at these times and I started seeing lots of crazy shit while also being depressed about being terrible at art.

When I was 22 I suddenly got the urge to try and get a business degree knowing that it's way easier and is actually quite flexible when it comes to finding jobs. I decided to downgrade to community college and try a couple classes and finish general education.

I'm 26 now and I am about to graduate soon from a different university than the one I was originally going to. I don't even like business that much and I don't retain any of the learning but it's still easy enough (thanks to online answers). I would say that if you really want to try college again, start with what seems easy and see if that suits you.

I'm honestly considering it but idk if I could handle it.. Ty for the advice tho

 

[pickajack]

My advice: Try and establish a strong support network. If you have friend/family relationships you can strengthen, wonderful, if not, see if your former school, (or whatever institution you are considering) has support services for academics, community building, emotional help, etc.

A strong network can make all the difference. It takes time, but totally worth the investment. Good luck in whatever you choose

My story: I dropped out of college after being sectioned. Was a really rough time. Spent months after living with my parents mostly too upset to leave the house. Eventually, got a one-day a week job, started taking classes at the local community college (only one at a time and unrelated to my major at first).

Ngl, it was painful as hell but I kept going. Was really lucky to have the support of family and a key friend.

Anyway, fast forward 10yrs (of struggle). Earned my BS and a graduate degree, employed, good friends, etc.

Obviously, I'm still here, I still feel pain and struggle daily, but I haven't given up yet.

 

[Shades of Grey]

I spent years flunking out of multiple programs before eventually taking time off to deal with mental health stuff.

When I was ready to go back, I started taking classes part-time as a nonmatriculating student... partly because I wanted to ease back into it and make sure that I was ready, and partly so that I could do well and prove myself (as getting accepted the traditional way was going to be a challenge given my history). Ultimately, I did well, they let me in, and I went on to graduate and obtain a professional degree.

It wasn't easy, and I often feel that I made the wrong decision in pursuing so much schooling (and this career), but it is possible to go back if that is what you want. Depending on your circumstances, you might have to exercise some creativity or sneak in through the back door (as I did), but it is often doable. I know it's hard, but I think it's important to remember that mental health issues often make themselves apparent in college-aged individuals. You probably won't be the first person they've worked with to find themselves in this situation, and you definitely won't be the last.

 

[_Kaira_]

Didn't go to college, but barely graduated highschool. Spent most of my days sleeping in as many classes as possible whenever possible. Didn't finish homework that I didn't feel like putting extra effort into, and dodged as many presentation projects as I could or half-assed them. Needless to say, my GPA was complete garbage, but it was good enough to slide by.

Been a complete disappointment to everyone around me for most of my life. I had a chance to get a technical certification and internship program, but I fucked up and dodged that even after conditional acceptance. I try to own up to my choices, and hardly like blaming my misfortune on outside forces. But just like a good amount of people here, my trauma during childhood really messed up any chance of normality I could have ever had. Me getting a minimum wage job would be a miracle and a half. It's not so much of a problem for me on starting, more so how do I follow through without breaking down? Went through it so many times.

 

[Xocoyotziin]

I dropped out twice. I just can't do school. I can't do authority, I can't do sitting still, I can't do schedules, I can't adhere to learning strategies that aren't intuitive to me when I'd rather take a self-directed approach, like memorizing tons of data I don't care about for no reason. I don't think I can blame mental illness for that, though depression and my experiences in k-12 left a bad taste for the whole thing in my mouth. The freedom post graduation was too big of a temptation, and I couldn't stand the idea of tying myself back down to what I had just escaped. And frankly I never planned ahead because I didn't think I'd live this long anyway. Why put in the effort? But as a result I have zero prospects. It's okay. I don't think I regret it.

What I regret more is not doing independent study or learning a skill in lieu of it. I wish I had spent my childhood doing that instead of being bored, lonely and miserable in kid prison with books and whiteboards, because not only did I not learn any of the discipline I was supposed to, it occupied too much of my time and energy for me to do anything else. It was wasted space, just blank suffering taking up half my waking life. Now I'm objectively kind of an idiot, talentless, and very un-knowledgeable and it feels bad but not as bad as the conventional route to getting those things would.