<p>Thanks - that was worrying me!</p>
<p>Nothing to add but PLEASE ask for help. If you were one of my children’s friends, I would want you to ask. </p>
<p>Sending you hugs, wish I could do something more constructive.</p>
<p>Concerned thoughts sent from here. </p>
<p>I was wondering, do you have any relatives to turn to? Aunts, Uncles, cousins? They may have keep their distance when you were a child, but maybe they can help now.</p>
<p>You have my condolences. I can only repeat the wisdom that people have already suggested: Seek out help.</p>
<p>Our D attends a large private university and crashed and burned her first term. As a result, I am on a first name basis, cell phone buddies with the Dean of Students, the housing director and Director of Parents Services. Never expected to ever meet these people much less be on a first name, personal cell phone number basis with them but they are real people who really are there to support students. You may feel overwhelmed but know there are places to turn that you might not have considered. Consider your Dean of Students. Do you have an advisor? </p>
<p>Perhaps the head of student disability services can even help get you the right support. You may not have a diagnosed learning disability but if you are stumbling and need a hand up, they are going to try to help you find the right resources.</p>
<p>If there was any way to pull out not completely flunking out and so maintain student status, that would be your best bet, I would think, if you are not comfortable reaching out for help. But treat people the way you would treat them-if someone asked you for help, would you embrace them or would you feel inconvenienced? I am sorry your family has failed you and I hope you can build your own from the friends that you have.</p>
<p>I think most if not all cities have homeless shelters. They also provide meals.</p>
<p>If your mental health problems are stable and chronic, you will have to find the best situation your condition allows. If college is not it, perhaps a job ?</p>
<p>A temporary dip in mental health is difficult to navigate without resources like insurance or family. Some cities have free medicine clinics and might provide psychotropic medicines, but do not expect to find time intensive therapy for free. If you think a sympathetic ear will help you, I agree with the recc to look into churches.</p>
<p>Good luck to you. Please try to remember that no matter what, most of the burden to get better and manage will fall on your shoulders. If you give up, you lose.</p>
<p>Enlist your strongest, most helpful friend. “Will you please come with me this afternoon. I need your help.” </p>
<p>Go to the Dean of Students’ office or the counseling office. You can say (or have your friend say it for you): “I need help. This is an emergency.” Just walk in there and sit down and say those words. All college counseling offices have to be prepared to help students in an emergency situation. </p>
<p>While you are still a student, the dean of students and/or the counseling office will help you. They will know what resources are available. </p>
<p>If the initial interview is threatening, write down the basic facts and hand it to the person who first talks to you (secretary or receptionist). Be sure to state clearly, even write this at the top of the page: This is an emergency situation.</p>
<p>The counseling/dean’s office have other resources to call on that you may not know about. You have to reach out your hand for help.</p>
<p>I don’t have any advice that isn’t already posted. I do wish you well and hope the situation gets better. Terribly sorry to hear about your dilemma.</p>
<p>good advice bookiemom.</p>
<p>I hope OP will check back in. I am worried about her and hope she is making progress with the situation.</p>
<p>Please reach out to your friends and their families. I have a young daughter and would feel awful if one of her friends were in your position and did not ask for help. It may be that people do not have the emotional or financial resources to help but you need to give them a chance. Even talking to someone else’s mom can help.
You have lifted yourself up by your bootstraps and even Jesus Christ got help with His cross. Find the someone who can help you keep it together until you can get focused again and get back in school. Good luck. You have a lot of people praying and rooting for you.</p>
<p>I also struggle with my mental health, OP. If you ever need someone to talk to, feel free to pm me. I live in Southern California so I might be able to help you find a place to stay. You are not alone.</p>
<p>I also hope that the op checks back in. I did not read every post but my suggestion would be to walk in to a very large hospital’s emergency room and ask for a psych evaluation. I think that would have a good chance of getting actual action taken in one of several fashions. </p>
<p>There might be direct admission to a facility or perhaps specific appointments made for the op. </p>
<p>I wish her the best.</p>
<p>Try to find him a job.</p>
<p>Advicesought, you have received a lot of good suggestions and I have three more:
- Meet with each of your professors to explain why your grades are low. It’s rare, but some professors allow students to turn in work late due to extenuating circumstances. Keep in mind that professors have no obligation to provide accommodations unless students are registered with disability support services.
- Go to the disability support services office at your college to initiate the registration process. Mental illness is a disability and you must provide appropriate documentation from a mental health professional. Most DSS offices maintain a list of local mental health professionals you can contact to set up an evaluation.
- If you are diagnosed with a mental illness, follow through on your treatment plan. Do not attempt another semester at college until you are registered with disability support services. With appropriate treatment, you might not need to make use of accommodations, but it’s best to have them in place if you experience another crisis.
Please post again and let us know how you’re doing.</p>
<p>I have been reading these posts, and it just strikes me how awesome the CC community is. A very caring community.
Advicesought, I wish you the best.</p>
<p>Quick update: I got ahold of a counselor at the college counseling center after all. He seemed more concerned about my state of mind than my practical concerns and put me on a 72 hour psych hold. At the hospital I was declared “gravely disabled” (= unable to take care of myself) and the psychiatrist put me on a 14-day hold. I’ll be on the mental ward until a bed opens up for me in a shelter/halfway house (not sure what to call it). </p>
<p>I’m glad that things have worked out, even if not quite the way I’d hoped.</p>
<p>Advicesought… Thank you for updating us. We are all pulling and praying for you.</p>
<p>Thank you for the update. I am thinking positive and healing thoughts for you.</p>
<p>@advicesought - good for you for getting help! i hope that you are beginning to heal and feel better. remember that we are here for you!</p>