I think it's harsh for your school not to have accepted a certificate provided by a medical professional. I too have been in and out of hospital for years, and have chronic conditions. People can be very unfair towards people dealing with illness who have more to deal with on top of everything else.
thank you @CactusDoug.
it is harsh.
what's more disappointing was the fact that my doctor seemed surprised when I told I was a university student. I do remember telling her that I was in uni the first time we met. given my naturally bubbly nature, she labelled my upbeat demeanour as mania. like, instantly.
well, she has every right to, because she is my doctor.
I've been battling my mind for over six years now, and despite all that I've been through (because I'm not just a survivor of mental illness but a lot of other messed up things in life), I managed to attain a spot in university.
what I did take away from the conversation we had was to take the fact that I will be on this medication permanently positively.
"some people are born with cerebral palsy and they have to live with it forever. just take it positively," she had said to me.
and I have been.
I've had to recover from so much that nothing fazes me anymore. but that doesn't mean I'm desensitised, no. it just means that I've learnt (after multiple panic attacks/full-blown anxiety attacks) how to express myself wisely.
the health system here in singapore is great, and I love it.
while the stigma of being a mental health patient has lessened, there are still people who are quick to put us down. we can't really do much about it – but just to prove them wrong by being successful in our actions.
several months ago I wrote this for a senior's project (on religion, love, and health):
"Choosing to be positive starts with you. You have to cure yourself. You can’t depend on any other person. It is really out of pure love for myself and pure forgiveness. To some people, it is easy to forgive themselves but for some, it’s hard. You have to learn how to let go in order to move on in life.
I’d tell myself, hey, I love you, and I forgive you because it is okay to make mistakes. Mistakes and failures are your best teachers. Your best teacher was your last mistake. Without them, no one can go anywhere. Success is defined by how well you pick yourself up after you fail.
When I compare my length of struggle to other people, their timeline is way longer and the severity of their condition is much worse, but look at us now. There was no need for me to worry at all. Everybody’s anxiety is different and tailored to their own life.
Before university, I thought was a nobody. A secure place to pursue my tertiary education was my complete and utter priority. That made my me fall into a severe depression, but the fact that I knew that I had this has made all the difference.
I knew that my anxiety was there to warn me. Relapsing is part of recovering. Tears don’t mean that you are weak, no. Tears are proof that you are alive. We have been blessed with the ability to feel, so let yourself feel. Emotions are a beautiful aspect of life, and we need to embrace that, in order to appreciate all that is good in this world."
right now, all I can do is pray for the best. 😌
it is harsh.
what's more disappointing was the fact that my doctor seemed surprised when I told I was a university student. I do remember telling her that I was in uni the first time we met. given my naturally bubbly nature, she labelled my upbeat demeanour as mania. like, instantly.
well, she has every right to, because she is my doctor.
I've been battling my mind for over six years now, and despite all that I've been through (because I'm not just a survivor of mental illness but a lot of other messed up things in life), I managed to attain a spot in university.
what I did take away from the conversation we had was to take the fact that I will be on this medication permanently positively.
"some people are born with cerebral palsy and they have to live with it forever. just take it positively," she had said to me.
and I have been.
I've had to recover from so much that nothing fazes me anymore. but that doesn't mean I'm desensitised, no. it just means that I've learnt (after multiple panic attacks/full-blown anxiety attacks) how to express myself wisely.
the health system here in singapore is great, and I love it.
while the stigma of being a mental health patient has lessened, there are still people who are quick to put us down. we can't really do much about it – but just to prove them wrong by being successful in our actions.
several months ago I wrote this for a senior's project (on religion, love, and health):
"Choosing to be positive starts with you. You have to cure yourself. You can’t depend on any other person. It is really out of pure love for myself and pure forgiveness. To some people, it is easy to forgive themselves but for some, it’s hard. You have to learn how to let go in order to move on in life.
I’d tell myself, hey, I love you, and I forgive you because it is okay to make mistakes. Mistakes and failures are your best teachers. Your best teacher was your last mistake. Without them, no one can go anywhere. Success is defined by how well you pick yourself up after you fail.
When I compare my length of struggle to other people, their timeline is way longer and the severity of their condition is much worse, but look at us now. There was no need for me to worry at all. Everybody’s anxiety is different and tailored to their own life.
Before university, I thought was a nobody. A secure place to pursue my tertiary education was my complete and utter priority. That made my me fall into a severe depression, but the fact that I knew that I had this has made all the difference.
I knew that my anxiety was there to warn me. Relapsing is part of recovering. Tears don’t mean that you are weak, no. Tears are proof that you are alive. We have been blessed with the ability to feel, so let yourself feel. Emotions are a beautiful aspect of life, and we need to embrace that, in order to appreciate all that is good in this world."
right now, all I can do is pray for the best. 😌
