- Find a good doctor. I’m not sure where you live (health care systems are very different overseas), but the best thing I’ve done is found myself a general practitioner who understands mental health. Not only have they already made it through med school, but they provide someone you can talk to, and will understand it if you need to take days off. I’ve taken a few “mental health” days this year, and it’s provided me with a chance to look after myself and give myself a break from medicine. A good doctor will also be able to give you the right diagnosis—I went through about five doctors until I found my current one, and many of the others had no training in mental health and didn’t care about how I was feeling.
- Understand that feeling like crap is NOT a sign of weakness. For some reason, medical students understand that depression is a serotonin/noradrenaline deficiency, yet insist on berating themselves for not being able to control how they feel. It’s not your fault. If you need to take a night off studying, or take a bath, or go and see a movie, do it. We’re not superheroes. We’re students, and we do our best, and that’s all we can ever ask of ourselves.
- Reach out. Depression makes us feel alone. True story: I overdose a month ago. (A story I’ll share another day.) For me, that was the turning point—I told my friends. My parents still aren’t aware, but having some support and friends willing to listen to me has made a huge difference. You don’t need to tell them everything if you’re not comfortable, but even being able to admit “I’m not having a great day, do you want to get coffee?” to a friend can give you some sort of release.
- Know that med school isn’t everything. I know we all want to get top marks and be amazing and know all the things. But at the end of the day, when you graduate, you’ll forget staying up all night to study and going to lectures to sleep. You’ll remember the coffees and skipped lectures and patients you spoke to for hours, not about diseases, but about their grandchildren. Honestly, med school sucks. It’s ridiculous hours for not a whole lot of gain. But it will give you some amazing experiences you won’t get anywhere else. Remember to value that part of med school.
- Take a break. Go see that movie. Go out for lunch. Spend some time alone doing what you love that isn’t related to medicine. And don’t feel guilty for doing it.
- Be healthy. Go for a walk, eat well, listen to some music.
I hope this helps, anonymous. I know this won’t make the depression go away, but it might help alleviate it. Also, there are heaps of internet and phone based hotlines you can consult if you feel you can’t talk to friends. I do encourage you to keep seeking help (maybe through another doctor/psychologist), and keep fighting.
