I'm in a similar boat. Not following depression, necessarily, but mania. This semester was the semester I was going to complete my entire college program, but I just had a manic episode that got me hospitalized, and now I'm feeling like I need time to recover from that two month period of no sleep and poor judgement. I'm damn lucky I didn't do anything to put my status with my supervisors and advisors in jeopardy, but I left myself in shambles. I'm so petrified to go back. Being this close to the deadline makes me feel like a failure. Like I couldn't suck it up for a couple more months? I know the prudent, wise choice is to TAKE the break and get the emotional help I need, but it's hard.

The best advice I heard from anyone recently was, "You don't owe anyone an explanation." I'm lying about the absence and saying it's another medical issue I have because Bipolar creates too much of a stigma. That's the part I hate the most—that I can't be honest about what it really is/was.

I'd say do what you know you need to do. I know this sounds hypocritical, because I'm right there with you with this unrelenting guilt and shame, but I think you're making the right decision. In the past when I've rushed into something before I was ready, it ended up a worse disaster and took longer to pick the pieces up. And the longer it took to pick up the pieces, the more guilty and ashamed I felt about it.

I hope things go well for you!