<p>"Make your choices keeping that diagnosis in mind, but don’t let it define you or your choices. "</p>
<p>Getting a diagnosis and working closely with an experienced mental health professional are vital so that the student gets the treatment they need and has the best chance of being able to flourish in college. The mental health professional also can help the student figure out what kin of college environment would be best.</p>
<p>The student’s mental illness and its severity should be considered as the student applies to college. If the illness is severe or the student will need ongoing treatment to have the best chance of doing well in college, it’s not likely that the student will be able to get the treatment s/he needs in a college in a small town or rural area. </p>
<p>I went to Harvard, and there are abundance excellent mental health services in that area. That’s not the case for most colleges in the country. Still, even with those resources, when I was a student, at least one student a year committed suicide. Others are psychiatrially hospitalized. From what I’ve seen in the news, it seems the same occurs now.</p>
<p>College counseling centers usually provide only short term treatment for mental illnesses that can be treated that way. Such centers usually lack the ability to provide longterm treatment for people with major mental health problems. Small towns/rural areas usually don’t have mental health facilities and professionals that can provide such treatment.</p>
<p>There is also a huge difference in how one “handles” the social atmosphere in colleges and workplaces. I consider myself an introverted person. I am exhausted by social situations. My husband is an extrovert, he is energized by social situations. I have a career that requires me to be “on” and “social” and “outgoing” and when the day is done I want nothing more than to be somewhere quiet with a good book and no “noise.” I can live and cope with my introverted nature and I understand myself quite well. Nothing about me requires therapy or drugs nor am I in danger. You are unique, you need to learn what your tolerances and limitations are and you are young so haven’t had the variety of opportunities to figure out how you will react. We cannot tell from your post if you are in need of drug therapy or are in danger. I agree with Northstarmom, so definitely spend whatever time between now and when you need to make a decision regarding college to get some help in figuring out the most you can about yourself and your needs.</p>
<p>I think this is a question best addressed in consultation with your child’s therapist and your child. I have two best friends with daughters with serious illness (anorexia, bipolar). They both had multiple discussions over junior and senior year with their children’s therapists and their children to decide what would be the healthiest choice following high school. In one case, the child went to a small LAC 3 hours away. In the other case, the child is in a “thirteenth” year residential program where she takes college classes at a local CC but lives in a therapeutic residence where she is learning life skills. Both girls are flourishing, by the way.</p>
<p>60% of Harvard students have sought help for mental illness. I state no opinion about the number compared the the nation’s general population, or the school, or mental illness. Just stating a fact a published in Harvard paper.</p>
<p>I think it is worth reminding everyone that not everyone with a mental illness is suicidal or in any danger of harming themselves or others. I have a severe anxiety disorder and dysthymia and I have absolutely no problems with school or with anything and do not require any supervision or assistance. Life is hard, but I compensate for it and I take care of myself. I did want to make sure I attended a school that either granted ample access to counseling services or had a doctor in town I was comfortable with just in case I ended up needing it, and thus far I haven’t. If anything it makes me a better student because I have to take EXTRA care in getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising, and most importantly managing my stress. It isn’t as though there aren’t millions of mentally ill adults in the workforce and raising families who are still very functional despite their illness. Whether or not a mentally ill student can handle going to school depends greatly on the specific illness, the severity, and the ways in which it manifests. </p>
<p>I agree that these decisions need to be made with a therapist who is familiar with the patient’s symptoms. That is really the best way to handle these matters.</p>
<p>However, one other general idea that I thought of though (that my doctor forgot to mention) is making sure there is an affordable pharmacy nearby. At my fiance’s school his only option is the pharmacy at student health unless he wants to walk three miles, and it is much more expensive there than a walgreens or something would be for some reason. His antidepressants cost him $70 there and less than $20 at a regular pharmacy. And my school’s pharmacy doesn’t take out of state insurance so my roommate had to find a pharmacy in town to get her scripts filled. You want to make sure it is easy for you to get any medications you may be taking.</p>
<p>I think the key with all students with psychological conditions is that they have continuity of treatment wherever they go. Depending on each case, that could mean something as simple as being able to walk to a pharmacy to get proper medication. In more severe cases, it means being certain that there are good counseling services close by or in even greater cases, it can mean living at home to be certain that there will be no disruption in their treatment routine and that they can receive the support from home they are accustomed to getting. Since each case is different the best idea is just to plan ahead. If you know you’re going to need regular counseling it’s important to get those relationships in place before you start.</p>
<p>I agree that CCs can be wonderful places. At our local CCs, many of the instructors teach the SAME material at flagship U for many times the price of the CC in MUCH larger classes. The individual attention you can receive from CCs is invaluable & it’s much easier to get around many of those campuses because they tend to be somewhat more compact than sprawling university campuses. My D attended 3 semesters of CC & found it a great place to get credits at very reasonable prices (about $1000/semester). The instructors took a great interest in each of their students and she had lots of services available to her. It worked well for her & helped us save $$ so she could transfer to a university where she has continued to thrive!</p>
<p>Just want to mention that some psychiatrists will skype or e-mail with patients while they are away at school. That would be for 3 months, in the fall, and then 3 months in the winter/spring. Some also have colleagues they can refer the student to near the college, with whom they will consult. So there are ways to maintain some continuity even while going to school away from home.</p>
<p>So, your basic “math major at MIT” is expected to be stressed. Massively stressed. One can think that “flower arranging 101” at the local community college is going to be a snoozer cake walk – perhaps not. It may be taught by a master in the field (who enjoys sharing her mastery but doesn’t want to be bothered with academic nuttiness and so teaches on a small field). </p>
<p>And it may turn out that it is weird stuff that sends a person from functioning to “not doing well at all.” It could be the stress of getting through a crowded campus. It could be not eating right because what one prefers is not available. It could be the lights or noise level. It could be the sense of isolation – </p>
<p>All of these can vary HUGELY, depending on the campus and the students. The more life experience a student has, the more one knows the “triggers” and the “red flags.” Go and find out what is out there and craft a spot or situation that works for you. I suspect the most valid help will come from an internet forum of other students with the same challenges that are a year or two older.</p>
<p>As a mentally ill student, I’m sort of offended by what you all have written here. I have friends who attend CCs, and I agree that they can be every bit as challenging as a regular university and in some cases even more so. However, by suggesting that mentally ill students should limit their options, you really stigmatize the illnesses. Personally, I have been on antidepressants since age 12 and though the battle is not over by any means, I have the ability to care for myself. Therefore, I would suggest that those making suggestions be extremely careful with generalizations.</p>
<p>(ps. to the original topic of the thread: stanford has drop-in mental health counseling.)</p>
<p>You are managing your disease and you are able to live a normal life even though you have a mental illness. That’s great but many others are not so lucky.</p>
<p>People with serious mental illnesses have to put living life on the front burner and going to college or anything else on the back burner. Selecting the right environment might be a requirement in order for them to manage their disease and there is nothing offensive to suggest that a person with an illness select a living environment that is highly compatible with their condition.</p>
<p>“People with serious mental illnesses have to put living life on the front burner and going to college or anything else on the back burner. Selecting the right environment might be a requirement in order for them to manage their disease and there is nothing offensive to suggest that a person with an illness select a living environment that is highly compatible with their condition.”</p>
<p>The same is true for people with serious physical conditions. If one has a serious health problem of any kind, it’s a priority to make sure that one is in an environment that doesn’t exacerbate one’s condition and where good treatment is available.</p>
<p>One advantage of going to a cc instead of a 4 year, particularly a private school, is that with a cc it is easy to attend part time if needed. So, as the student adjusts to school, if the stress or workload is too much due to the illness, or med side effects (many meds cause a need for more hours of sleep), the student can go part time and still make progress (and not lose a lot of $). These decisions are best made in consultation with the student’s therapist. I would caution against underestimating the stress of freshman year in the dorms as it relates to handling mental illness. OP, good luck to you, take care of yourself.</p>
<p>"some psychiatrists will skype or e-mail with patients while they are away at school. "</p>
<p>I agree it is impossible to generalize with regard to the nature of the illness, but this would be a pretty risky move, at least from the Psychiatrist perspective.</p>
<p>This suggestion was from one of the top psychiatrists in our state, who has found this to be a helpful way to go for many of her young patients. Psychiatry is generally practiced these days with infrequent visits focused on medication levels. After the initial months of treatment, and barring any crises, it is not unusual to see a psychiatrist every 3 months anyway, which would fit the college calendar.</p>
<p>At college, there is counseling available, or at the very least, referrals outside the college center for longer term support. So, obviously, such a skype regimen would be supplemented as needed, closer to where the student is.</p>
<p>It would be nice if insurance still covered extensive talk therapy with a psychiatrist, but that is long gone. Insurance considers the best treatment to be medication, and unless the meds need to be tweaked, psychiatrists do not stay in close touch. </p>
<p>Again, I suggest people read Kay Jamison and Elyn Saks, and understand that a psychiatric diagnosis is not necessarily an obstacle to going to whatever college a student might want to go to, or to stellar achievements in life.</p>
<p>“gain, I suggest people read Kay Jamison and Elyn Saks, and understand that a psychiatric diagnosis is not necessarily an obstacle to going to whatever college a student might want to go to, or to stellar achievements in life”</p>
<p>I think that most of us understand that. What matters is the diagnosis and the severity of the illness and how the student responds to change. Where to go to college is something for the student to discuss with their mental health practitioner.</p>
<p>'It would be nice if insurance still covered extensive talk therapy with a psychiatrist, but that is long gone. Insurance considers the best treatment to be medication, and unless the meds need to be tweaked, psychiatrists do not stay in close touch. "</p>
<p>Several insurance companies reimburse me for talk therapy; don’t make as much as I would, but thats my choice. </p>
<p>What if the patient is residing in a state where you don’t had a license to practice?</p>
<p>I have no idea about the legalities. This psychiatrist offered either a referral to a colleague or skype sessions to a young adult moving across country for a semester.</p>
<p>If you are a psychiatrist, I am surprised that anyone can get reimbursed for talk therapy with you! Do you even do it once a week, the old-fashioned way? (Actually, the really old-fashioned way was 5 times a week!)</p>
<p>We have corresponded here before, because it can be hard to find a psychiatrist who will do more than a 45 minute initial evaluation. We were told this was because insurance would not cover more, and insurance required a diagnosis in that first, short, interview.</p>
<p>You corrected that, perhaps also saying that you make less than most.</p>
<p>Alternatives, in case anyone wants to know, include free studies at hospitals (usually pretty lengthy evaluation) or going through a lot of hoops until insurance finally approves an MD who does a longer evaluation (proving you have tried others), or paying out of pocket.</p>
<p>I think, for anyone, including the OP, it is good to know that it is well worth it going to all that effort to find a psychiatrist who will do more than that minimal evaluation. </p>
<p>After experiencing a very difficult time with my daughter during her first year I would never send a kid away to college unless meds were working, therapy was going very well and my child was doing great. Unless one knows for certain that all of those things will remain the same while they are away, than I would suggest only commuting. </p>
<p>You just can’t always get a chance to get it right…we were lucky but other parents are not.</p>