How to Succeed in School While Battling Depression: 11 Essential Tips

Studying while battling depression is one of the hardest things to do. It's difficult enough getting out of bed, but depression steals away your energy, motivation, and concentration. It's like having a cloudy memory and struggling to survive each and every day. How can you possibly get through school while dealing with depression? Here are 11 essential tips to help you succeed.

One: Use a Planner

Depression can lead to disorganization and a foggy memory. In school, it's critical to remember when you have assignments, presentations, and tests. Bring a planner with you to your classes and write down everything you need to remember. This way, you won't forget anything or end up rushing an assignment at the last minute.

Two: Study and Do Homework on Time

Studying without motivation is hard, but by doing a little every day, you can lower your stress levels. There may be days when studying feels impossible, but if you studied a bit every day beforehand, it's okay to take a day off when things get really rough. When you have depression, having some free time to rest is essential.

Three: Space It Out

Divide your study material into small chunks and review it continuously over long periods. This will increase your chances of learning the material. Additionally, review each lesson before starting a new one.

Four: Don’t Pull All-Nighters

Staying up all night worsens depression and can make the symptoms more severe. Suicidal thoughts may also increase drastically. Instead, organize your schedule so you're not staying up all night to complete your assignments.

Five: Take Breaks

Don't study or do homework for hours on end. Depression lowers your energy, and if you don't take breaks, you will burn out. The trick is to study for 30-minute intervals with 10-minute breaks in between. Everyone's different, so test out different schedules to see what works best for you.

Six: Keep a Binder or Notebook

People with depression can have trouble staying organized. By using binders or notebooks with dividers, it's easier to separate your study materials. This will help you feel less overwhelmed.

Seven: Stay Away from Negative People

It's already hard enough to stay optimistic with depression. Surrounding yourself with pessimistic people won't help; it will bring you down and affect your school performance. Remember, you are studying to have a career you love, so spend time with people who support you and push you towards your goals when life gets hard.

Eight: Consume Brain Foods

Depression makes you crave junk food. It's okay to treat yourself occasionally, but don't make it a habit. Instead, stay away from sugars, stay hydrated, and eat nutritious food to increase your energy and improve your focus.

Nine: Find a Study Buddy

Find a responsible classmate and stick with them. Create study groups where you can ask each other questions. Be careful of lazy students who may try to use you, as their pessimistic nature can affect your mood.

Ten: Highlight

People with depression can easily feel overwhelmed, especially with courses that have a lot of material. When you feel stuck, use different colored highlighters to divide the material by main topic, subtopic, and important information.

Eleven: Take Care of Yourself and Find Hobbies

If all you do is study, you'll feel more depressed. Don't forget to treat yourself. Take time to pursue hobbies and practice self-care to improve your overall mood. Watch a movie, eat at your favorite restaurant, have fun with friends, take a breather, and then you can continue studying.

Society puts a lot of pressure on students, especially regarding their studies. Remember, your mental health comes first, and grades don't define you. Failing a course doesn't make you a failure. We're all human, so don't feel bad if you need to take a break to regain your mental health.