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Originally Posted by emptynightmare
Thank you, Travelinglady. No, actually, I never progressed far enough in therapy to get a diagnosis. But they may be able to tell from my behavior that something is off. My research topic also has to do with trauma as well, so....
Counseling services is a joke at my school... it usually consists of a darkened room and a hushed voice and a concerned gaze and nothing else. My counselor never remembers what I say and then acts as though she's still waiting for me to ask for help, even though I have, every time, brought up issues I want to discuss... I suppose I have trust issues, but I also don't think she listens to me or cares about what I say. Then again, I am not good at communicating due to certain forms of childhood neglect, so I probably am not able to communicate effectively with normal people.
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Can you find a therapist outside of your college? You're in a complicated, confusing situation and it would really help if you could find a professional to help you untangle it. We aren't trained mental health professionals and don't have your extensive history, so we're limited in how helpful we can be.
As a fairly recent college graduate, you have my full empathy.
At my university, the counselors saw a lot of students. They were often recent graduates trying to gain more experience before joining a more specialized, rigorous practice. They were temporary stop-gaps who made sure you had someone to talk to until you decided to get more professional support. They were not really in a position to provide personal, extensive care since they saw lots of students on an as-needed basis. Often they were not in a position to offer a thorough diagnosis either. Some are social workers, some are psychologists. It's best to get a diagnosis that combines the assessment of a psychologist and psychiatrist who look through all the available information. At least that was my case.
So I was quickly referred to an off-campus therapist and psychiatrist. I had to get a diagnosis from a neuropsychologist off campus first. The psychiatrist and psychologist I saw later were able to schedule longer, regular appointments and provide more personalized, professional care. They limit how many patients they see and have scheduled appointments, so they are in a position to provide better care.
How are your grades? What is your course load like? Is it balanced? From my experience, professors and advisors want to make sure that students graduate and with reasonably good grades. As such, they might be risk-averse when it comes to recommending the courses and assignments you take on. It's nothing personal.
I took time off from university and wanted to take challenging courses during my first semester back. My advisor told me that I was free to do what I wanted. However, she advised me to think carefully about what I was getting into given my previous grades, health issues, and the challenging nature of the upcoming courses. If I wanted to take them, perhaps I should lighten the rest of my course load? I was headstrong and didn't listen at all. I took on four hard courses. I got the worst grades of my entire college experience.
Hopefully this was somewhat helpful. I'd be happy to talk more if you'd like to go over specifics.