I think I’ve said this before and I’m gonna say it again.
I’ve been avoiding seeking help from my university for as long as I’ve been diagnosed but I finally went to the disability center. I set up an appointment because I wanted to work the system and get a dog (an emotional support animal and I do GENUINELY think having one would help my mental health!).
But after talking to the nice disability resource guy, he asked me if all I really needed was a support animal. Was I sure? And I said I was managing my classes just fine. How were my grades since transferring? Well, not great honestly but I don’t need that kind of help. Well, major depressive disorder makes it hard to make it to class sometimes, do I struggle with that? Well, sometimes. Okay, I’ll give you extra days off then. Just make sure you email your professor when you feel up to it that you were taking a day off to deal with a disability flare up. And do I get overwhelmed in class sometimes? I guess so, yeah. I’ll let your professors know you might need to step out sometimes.
It’s hard to ask for help and even harder to ask for help when you don’t think you deserve it. The disability resource center doesn’t sound like the kind of place I should go. Is mental illness even a disability? Honestly, I’m not sure. It’s apart of who I am and I won’t let it stop me but it does make it hard to be a person. I’m going to be grateful for the help I’m getting and I won’t be ashamed that sometimes I need it.
The Life of a Mourning Dove 