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[pery-blog]

Mental Health and College Classes in High School

As a senior in high school, it’s safe to say that I’ve experienced quite a few twists and turns. In my junior year, I signed up for a college chemistry class with the intention of gaining college credits. It turns out I couldn’t handle it. I had a bad feeling about taking the class and was peer pressured by my fellow honors students along with a few teachers. Well, needless to say, it was an incredibly interesting experience. 

Not too long into the school year, I was experiencing increasingly concerning waves of sadness and despair. I thought nothing of it and continued on with the day to day monotony of junior year. Eventually, things got so bad that I couldn’t get out of bed, I was so tired I would fall asleep sitting up, and worst of all I isolated myself from my friends without realizing it. 

Finally, I broke down. I couldn’t bear to live feeling the way I did. As far as I was concerned there were only two choices—talking to someone or suicide. 

I talked to my counselor who was exceptionally compassionate. She helped me tell my mom what was going on and we made a plan. Not only did my counselor help me convey what was going wrong, but she also told my teachers. All of my teachers understood and some had even dealt with how I was feeling. 

As Nelson Mandela once said, “I never lose. I either win or learn.”

What’s the moral of the story? Well, I passed my college chemistry class with a D, and I learned that I have depression, anxiety, and OCD. I’m currently on medications which help me be the best person I can be. 

This article goes out to all of the teenagers out there that feel like they have no choice but to end their lives. Trust me, I’ve been there and it feels so right in the moment. But in reality, you really do have a purpose. You may not know what your purpose is, but who knows. You could create a cure for cancer, end systemic racism, be the first person on Mars, or even become a freelance writer like myself. 

So, I ask you, would you rather learn or lose? The choice is yours.

(If anyone needs someone to talk to, please message me. I have been in the dark and I know how it feels. I am here for you.)