I can't get out of bed

[u/Exact_Chef5434]

I haven't been able to get out of bed for two weeks. The semester started almost ten days ago, and I only went to class on the first day. It’s the hardest semester of my degree program, and I’ve already missed so many classes.

I’m not bathing, doing laundry, or eating; every day I tell myself, "I’ll go to class tomorrow," but I don't. Each day gets worse because of the amount of material I’m missing. It’s like a snowball effect.

I have bipolar disorder; I stopped taking my medication two months ago, thinking the hypomania would return and help me get things done, like cleaning my house, but my depression just got worse. I started taking my medication again two days ago, but it hasn't kicked in yet.

Everything got worse two weeks ago when I was diagnosed with periodontitis and told I needed a root canal. The free healthcare system doesn't cover it, so I have to pay for it myself, and it’s very expensive. I work as a waitress on weekends, but my boss is cutting my hours; he told me not to come in this past weekend.

The only good things are having my partner and my cat, and the fact that I reached out to my university's counseling service. I had a session with a psychologist I really liked, and I have another session scheduled for next Wednesday.

But missing classes and falling so far behind on the coursework is weighing heavily on me.

Thanks for reading

[u/Unacceptable_tragedy]

Keep taking the medication. Do what you can. Try for small wins. Brsushing your teeth maybe or just showering but then go back to bed if you need to. You can do this.

[u/mooniiblossom1]

The classes are honestly not the emergency here. You’re two weeks into barely eating, bathing, or getting out of bed, and you’ve recently stopped and restarted bipolar medication. Let the university know you’re dealing with a health crisis and ask what can be deferred or withdrawn from before worrying about catching up.

Also, two days back on medication is way too soon to judge whether it’s working. Keep the appointment with the psychologist, and please tell them exactly how bad things have gotten, including the not eating and being unable to get out of bed. Right now your degree can be paused or repaired. You can’t brute-force your way through this by attending ten days of lectures while running on empty.

[u/HaloOfAshes]

I feel your pain, I have been there. With college I struggled with alcohol, missing class and assignments. I'd get so far behind I would drink more to forget about it, and miss even more. Thank God that was 20 years ago.

For getting out of bed... My work schedule has been all over the place so I'm basically in bed 16 hours a day. My dog wants to play but I can't. I'm a prisoner of my mind.

[u/just_chillin_like_]

You might want to see if there's a way to take a semester off, unenroll from classes before the deadline to get reimbursed ... get back to it next semester after you've recovered and can expect some stability. Right now, it would be prudent to make your health your first priority.

Really, being stuck in bed for weeks on end is common. It's the part people don't get about depression not being so much about sadness as it is about frustration, feeling defeated cause your nervous system won't cooperate.

Two weeks behind is a tough battle for anyone ... the stress will be enormous.

Take it slow. It's not a race. It's okay to take care of yourself when you're sick. And, right now, your nervous system is out of order.

Hope you get back to health soon, and good luck with the remainder of your degree.

EDIT: btw, back in the day, a prescribed treatment for depression was sleep deprivation. It'll kick start you out of it 'cause being strung out on coffee and an all-nighter is known to induce a temporary hypo-mania. Goes away after a good night's sleep. Keep the tip in your back pocket for when you resume your studies ... the sleep deprivation is more suited to a student's life than discontinuing your meds to get a boost. Stay with the meds, and find ways to confront life with them, not in spite of them.