Mental illness as a premed

[mango99 1]

hello everyone,

I have struggled with major depressive disorder along with other co-morbidities since early high school. I am nearing the end of my bachelors degree and I just feel so hopeless about getting into Med school. My gpa has never been great let alone outstanding, and I feel like this is my biggest hurtle to getting in to Med school. I am taking a 5th year to continue to work on getting my gpa up, but I just feel so sad because all I want to do is continue my education in medical school and eventually become a doctor, but this just feels impossible right now. I’m reaching out to hear from other pre meds who are maybe going through something similar and hopefully learn some skills that will help me get through this. thanks guys!

 

 

[premed1989 10]

Hi there. I used to suffer from debilitating panic and generalized anxiety that very inconveniently began in my senior year of undergrad. It's the single toughest thing I've ever had to endure and I am actually thankful it happened to me! I gained so much strength and insight from the experience and I see myself as being part of a small community of survivors who have made it through being betrayed by their mind and body and have had to fight just to get through every day. Through it all I fought every minute of every day to keep going to work and then onto graduate school in a challenging health sciences program and now applying to medical school at long last. I also did this as an immigrant away from my family who live on another continent. Having been through all this I feel like I have overcome so much and will be a better, more compassionate physician than I would have ever had any chance of becoming had I not gone through this kind of hardship. I'm proud of all that I've accomplished, mental illness and all and I encourage you to wear your experience like a badge of honor. Your condition does not define you and will not stand in your way unless you allow it to, so embrace it, get the help you need (medication, counseling, etc.), dig deep and keep going. There have been months and years where I could never ask more of myself than to get through one day, and then the next, and the next, etc, and you will if you take it one day at a time. Just never stop! You can accomplish anything, trust me.  

[venge 1]

If you want to talk study habits and verbalize your feelings my inbox is open  

[mango99 1]

Thank you guys so much for your replies, I really appreciate it. Since I posted this, I saw a psychiatrist and was diagnosed with ADHD, so I am feeling hopeful that once I start treatment things will get a little easier.