Any Advice On Dealing With PTSD And University?

[Andre]

This forum seems a good place for my question. Lately I've been trying to figure out a way to get a better degree and what I might really be able to expect of myself while doing that. I've been a very part time student for years but am nearing the end of my program and have to transfer and go full-time again to get where I want to be.

My goal is to complete Math and Economics majors at a local university, and as far as I can tell that will take 4-6 courses per semester for 2 or 3 years. That seems like a huge change compared to my current practice of only taking one per semester. I've been doing that the past few years. Finances are a concern, but I'm confident of being able to solve that aspect as long as I can keep the total time to 2 or 3 years more.

I think I'll be able to take all the stress, I have things under control fairly well now. I just don't know how I'll really respond. I've never done the therapy angle, and don't like doctors in general. I guess that might have to change but I'm not looking forward to that at all. I am vaguely aware that university offers some counseling services but am wondering how to approach that, and how to figure out when I might really need them. I am working on focusing more and figuring out ways to achieve that but I'm not sure this is enough.

What are the experiences of others who've been full-time students while dealing with PTSD? What problems came up? Any tips or advice?

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I was in graduate school a few years ago, and registered with the disabilities office. Of course, you will need to see a therapist or psychiatrist in order to get documentation that will allow you to register with the disabilities office. I did it so that I could have support if things went wrong...which they did. School was always very stressful for me, and I ultimately ended up switching programs just so I could graduate with a degree in SOMETHING. Good luck to you!

 

[anni]

There are quite a few students here, I've seen. Some of them tend to pop up right before or after finals, etc, when I suppose stress must take a toll but from what I've read you all seem to thrive in academic situations. If I were to make a plain guess, maybe the fact that academics in the end is really a solitary endeaver ( profs and other students not withstanding, I mean that it's all your effort and intent)makes the environment a great opportunity for personal empowerment or something along that line. I hope this isn't unhelpful, but I just haven't seen any students here who really have collapsed under the pressure, and it has seemed more to the contrary.

Good luck and best wishes with this!

Anni

 

[Andre]

Graduate school? Wow, that's still a ways off for me but hopefully I can manage to get that far. I was able to register with a neurologist's report before but that will be a decade old when I transfer. Its so out of date I don't think that would be enough now, and I've improved so much since then its more of an embarrassment than anything else. What kinds of problems did you have S., can you go into any more detail on that?

I'm glad to hear about this positive trend too, that is really encouraging. I was worried about some little unknowns popping up to mess with me and making me crash at the perfectly wrong times, that used to happen a lot. Anni, you seem like you want to try this stuff again too. Education I mean. Community colleges aren't too expensive you know... Maybe its worth looking at your options with one near you.

 

[Jagged Angel]

Hi Andre, I am currently a full-time student (PhD) and part-time academic. I studied as an undergrad full-time. I did not register with the Disabilities people at my university, but that had more to do with my own silly pride than anything else. I also would suggest going to see the disabilities people at the place where you'll be studying. At my uni, they don't deal with PTSD as a disability often, but they are always willing to learn how to help the students in any way they can.

As to the actual study - time management is paramount. At the moment, because I have managed to run myself ragged with social events, getting a lit review together, writing a paper for a conference, and teaching my subject (I know, I know, I still haven't learned, have I? Taking it easy is not something that comes easily to me), I am in a situation that for the next few weeks, I will need to do an hour of work, then an hour of relaxation, which at the moment is playing the latest Pokemon on the DS.

I do have a 'timetable' that I try to stick to. It usually works, but of course I have to stick to it...

I am not understanding why you have to transfer and go full-time. Why can't you stay part-time?

 

[Andre]

Hey Angel. Well, the disability registration was with something different from the same cause. The transfer is because the courses I'll need then aren't offered where I am going. I have to go full-time since I'll have to take out large loans to pay for it all and my only chance is to get the best price/credit hour I can with all that. Basically going full-time with a few extra courses too. I do plan to go on to graduate work later and that brings up another issue. Looks like to adequately prepare for that I'll need to take a LOT more courses, as in full-time for 3 years solid on top of what I'll have transferring. Even as a kind of math person the names and descriptions for some of the courses don't make any sense to me right now.

I'm interested in learning more about your timetable. What all is involved there? Studying certain things at certain times every day?

The relaxation part is something I need to figure out too, none of the stuff that used to be relaxing holds my interest now.

 

[Jagged Angel]

Hi, now I understand the having to go full time and transferring thing. My timetable is more that breaks are taken at certain times of the day regardless of what I'm doing (unless it's a meeting or something like that). I also need to plan out the day for what I need to do. Most of the time , the timetable is for routine. Right now, the timetable is more for making sure i get work done while still resting (I am away from home) and still having some semblance of a routine. It is not necessarily studying certain things at certain times of the day (however, in the past when I was doing subjects, I did do that), it is more about ensuring that everything gets done and I still manage to rest to keep my sanity!

As to the relaxing thing - I never thought hat I would sit about and play a DS or a Wii to relax... You just need to try different things until you hit upon the stuff that works. Things change, you change, and thus your interests change too

 

[Aine]

Andre,

I'm also a full-time student and I'm not doing very well with it, I'm afraid so the only advice I can really offer is:

It seems to me that where I'm going wrong is having a routine. I seem to work better when I have a set routine.
Also, motivation is a big issue for me so I have to do little things. I start off with saying "okay, today, I will get out of bed, get dressed and go to the shop." If I do that then the next day I'll say "okay, today I'll get dressed, go to class." The next day I'll go to class and then do some reading in the evening. I just keep adding one thing to my list until I manage to be able to do lots of things in a day. It usually works for a while.

The concentration issue I'm still working on. :/

I hope that was a tiny bit useful and good luck with your studies.

Love and Light,

Aine

 

[Hopeful1989]

I am a full time student and suffered with PTSD since around mid semester, last semester. It got so bad this semester that I dropped one class, failing another, and missing a bunch of assignments in one class. I wish I had gotten my diagnosis sooner. I say this because after my diagnosis I went to the teacher who I had all the missing assignments and LOW attendance in her class and gave her a note from my counselor and explained the situation. She wiped my attendance record and is allowing me to finish the semester at home and communicate via email. MY suggestion is to take as many online classes as possible. If you have to take an on campus class, talk to your teachers. I know this is difficult, as I nearly had a panic attack before doing it, but with Xanax at my side (haha) I was able to salvage my grade in this class. If I do all my work I will get a B!! Good Luck on your degree pursuits!

 

[minceymeatpie]

I was a full-time student for many years and what worked for me was planning ahead and knowing that it would take me longer to do certain things than some of my colleagues. i.e. for every two hours I spent sitting at my books appearing to study, perhaps 30-45mins would have been "lost" to being startled by little noises, unwanted intrusions of the past into my thoughts, etc. I went from being a straight A student to being satisfied at passing (just like that joke: what do you call the medical student at the bottom of the graduating class? "Doctor"!)

Then I was a full-time postgraduate resident. That didn't go so terrific, but I made it through. I used the university counselling services - free therapy is better than no therapy. I got hooked up with an excellent family physician, who referred me to a psychiatrist. I had to take a week off every now and then through my residency (about 3-4wks over the 3yrs) when things were getting out of hand. That helped. I never did register with disabilities because I am still very "closeted" about having PTSD and didn't see what accomodations would be made in any case. Ultimately, I finished my specialty and now work in emergency medicine. (Ironic that I chose one of the specialties with the highest rates of PTSD...)

I would strongly encourage you to avail yourself of counselling services available through the university if you don't already have a therapist. I really believe that was key for me. Also, if you are able, hook up with a local group of sorts that shares your interests (For me, I found a great church and made some friends who really looked out for me when things were going downhill - they would literally show up at my door and drag me out for meals when I was isolating) Friends are going to help you tremendously. Check out the university's health services if you need a family physician, or ask around for a referral.

As someone else mentioned, trying to motivate yourself can be key... I used to literally sit in my car before classes etc and tell myself, "It's OK, you can do this....just get out of the car..." and once I was out of the car, I would tell myself I could get into the building, etc etc. Some days I had to talk myself out of bed, to get dressed and get to class. The hardest part, I always found, was actually getting there. Once I was actually sitting in the lecture hall, it was all right.

It will take a lot of determination, strength, willpower... but it can be done. However I'd suggest you find a few good supports that you can bank on because there will be times when things feel extremely difficult and almost-impossible - and those are the times when having my supports pulled me through... I don't think I could have done it without them. One of the hard things about PTSD sometimes is the tendency to detach and isolate - I had to force myself to at least resist that temptation with a few people. You don't have to confide in the whole world - but having a few good people that you know you can count on is going to really help you through.

Good luck.

M

 

[Mittens]

I am a full time student and I was diagnosed mid-fall semester after I was too afraid to go to any of my classes after the anniversary of my attack. My diagnosis came from my school's on campus counseling service which was free to me for about 20 sessions an academic year. Of course they want you to phase out to a practicing therapist but its nice to have a free, easy on campus outlet if you school offers it. Also since I could not go to classes and was basically failing (I had a 3.77 GPA before this event) I found out my school does a medical withdrawal where I withdrew from classes with no GPA penalty (just monetary) and offered me disability services as a way to keep in school. Universities on a whole are usually very accommodating as long as you are honest and upfront with them.

Plus, you may find an on campus support group if you check out your school's counseling center! Good luck!
Mittens

 

[Andre]

Wow, thanks everybody. I was going the opposite direction before looking for ways to never bring any of it up. I am thinking about going full time now, useful and a good test before I commit to more. This is all very useful.