Mental Health is a Priority
By Kyle Cusick, Mathematics, Class of 2008
I began dealing with a bipolar disorder the summer before I began my studies at Case, so I had to learn how to be a college student the same time as I was learning how to deal with a mental illness. My biggest piece of advice is good advice for anyone, but is especially important to anyone in a similar situation: stay organized. I know it’s easier said than done, but the semesters I was able to keep on schedule or ahead of schedule were the only ones that were manageable. Having to stay up all night to finish an assignment or study for an exam would take a toll on me physically and emotionally. If I missed a deadline or had to ask for an extension, I often began a difficult, downward spiral that was sometimes impossible to escape.
By “staying organized,” I don’t just mean your academic life. Exercise is a great stress-reliever. Sometimes if I’m feeling burnt out, four more hours of studying can be less efficient than going for a jog followed by two hours of studying. Make sure to get outside each day, even if you’re in “study mode!” Don’t let yourself stay inside studying all day. Keep your room clean; whenever I had to rush to look through piles of papers trying to find the one I needed, I usually found myself thinking, “My room is a wreck, so I must be too.”
Your mental, physical, and psychological strength are all connected. Don’t let any of them get weak, or the others will follow. If you’re dealing with a mental or emotional illness, it will be difficult to see your friends and classmates putting off assignments until the last minute, knowing they can stay up all night to finish it. That’s risky for anyone, but it may be downright dangerous for you. It took me a while to learn the difference between limitations and weaknesses. Maybe I’ll never be rid of my condition, but adapting to it doesn’t mean it has beaten me. You may be stressed from time to time, but the trick is to not get overwhelmed.
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