While I have faced countless challenges in my life, the challenge that has affected me the most has been poor mental health. Mental health problems have caused my lowest points in life, and no matter what I do to combat them, they are permanent. Because of this, over the past few years I have learned to cope with my mental health and live with it every day. Doing this, I not only allowed my depression and anxiety symptoms to lessen, but I became a stronger and more resilient person. I learned that I do have the ability to change my perception of the world. My journey with mental health issues is ongoing and has affected every aspect of my life. My relationships with others have been bruised, my social skills impaired, and my performance in school has taken its fair share of dips. For a very long time, I let my issues take control of me, surrendering to fits of depression and panic attacks. I became angry, spiteful, and completely pessimistic. Needless to say, I was not a happy person. I hated school, was just as bored at home, and got worried sick whenever homework was swamping me. The negative emotions I felt only added to my miserableness, and I felt trapped. As many are, I was first closed-off and in denial about my mental health problems, as I was embarrassed to have them in the first place. I felt weak and vulnerable compared to my peers, and started feeling like everyone else could be happy so easily, while I had to give my all to even start to feel joy. The biggest step I took, as shameful as it was for me at the time, was to talk to others about my mental health issues. Opening up was the start to a period of major change for me, as I was given countless outlets to treat and evaluate my mental health. I started to attend therapy and did use some medication, but even then, I was struggling. However, over time, I gained skills to combat my anxiety and depression. I can now calm myself down more easily, breathe when I need to, and get myself out of a funk. In recent years, I have developed quite a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I am fascinated learning how the mind works and how it can improve lives. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can use it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health.

My name is Connor Garbrecht, I'm seventeen years old, and there are countless experiences, many of which I don't remember at all, that have shaped me into the person I am right now. I grew up in Watertown. I am the oldest of three boys. My little brother Nathan is 14 and my brother Gavin is 10. In addition, I live in a blended family. I have a stepbrother who is 17 and a stepsister who is 20. My childhood was not a bad one, but a troubled one due to issues with my parents' marriage and tragic events like the death of my little brother Jake. He was born missing some of his brain and unfortunately passed away at three months old. I was six, so I didn't grasp much of the situation, but it heavily affected those around me (my parents, grandparents, etc.), which, in turn, affected some of my childhood. My mom, while the most torn up, miraculously stayed strong knowing she had to care for two other children. I believe that subconsciously/genetically I've picked up a lot of problems from specifically my dad. While I don't have a terrible relationship with him or anything, it's a less affectionate one, but I know he does care about me and my brothers deeply. He is very troubled, and I believe that he passed that down to me. I am the most similar to him out of me and my brothers, and I experience quite a lot of anxiety and depression that I'm pretty sure got passed down from him as well as some of my mom's family. He still struggles, but from where he was years ago (with the stuff that led to my parents' divorce) he's doing really well. COVID had quite a significant effect on me, as it was pretty isolating and I had to stay home for longer than most because my mom is immunocompromised. Coming back at the end of my freshman year was difficult, but during my sophomore year I made an impressive social recovery, forcing myself out of any awkward/lonely social situation and staying out of my comfort bubble. I've settled down a bit since then, as I'm not as energetic as I was sophomore or junior year, but I still feel comfortable socially (rather than during COVID where I was pretty much a hermit). Overall, I feel like I have been completely shaped by both my genetics and events in my life. It's impressive how much a pandemic or a crappy marriage can affect you, especially if you're in your prime years of development. I know a lot of this seems really depressing - a lot of it is! But today, my family is great and healthy, COVID is gone, and I have flourished into someone that I am comfortable being. In recent years, I have developed quite a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I am fascinated learning how the mind works and how it can improve lives. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can use it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health. Obtaining this scholarship would help to ease the burden of my college debt and possibly help me to pursue a more clinical route within the psychology field.

While I have faced countless challenges in my life, the challenge that has affected me the most has been poor mental health. Mental health problems have caused my lowest points in life, and no matter what I do to combat them, they are permanent. Because of this, over the past few years I have learned to cope with my mental health and live with it every day. Doing this, I not only allowed my depression and anxiety symptoms to lessen, but I became a stronger and more resilient person. I learned that I do have the ability to change my perception of the world. My journey with mental health issues is ongoing and has affected every aspect of my life. My relationships with others have been bruised, my social skills impaired, and my performance in school has taken its fair share of dips. For a very long time, I let my issues take control of me, surrendering to fits of depression and panic attacks. I became angry, spiteful, and completely pessimistic. Needless to say, I was not a happy person. I hated school, was just as bored at home, and got worried sick whenever homework was swamping me. The negative emotions I felt only added to my miserableness, and I felt trapped. During a long period of time, however, I developed skills through cognitive behavioral therapy and discovered how my mind worked. I was able to remove myself from some emotions, evaluating the situations rationally and using logic to overcome anxiety and depression’s warped thought patterns. Today, I look back at that time period less terribly, as through hardships I was able to mature as a person and become more resilient and persistent at facing my problems. As mental health does not act as a physical adversity, it is often hard to spot. At some times, the victim may not want to spot it. As many are, I was first closed-off and in denial about my mental health problems, as I was embarrassed to have them in the first place. I felt weak and vulnerable compared to my peers, and started feeling like everyone else could be happy so easily, while I had to give my all to even start to feel joy. The biggest step I took, as shameful as it was for me at the time, was to talk to others about my mental health issues. Opening up was the start to a period of major change for me, as I was given countless outlets to treat and evaluate my mental health. I started to attend therapy and did use some medication, but even then, I was struggling. However, over time, I gained skills to combat my anxiety and depression. I can now calm myself down more easily, breathe when I need to, and get myself out of a funk. In recent years, I have developed quite a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I am fascinated learning how the mind works and how it can improve lives. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can use it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health.

While I have faced countless challenges in my life, the challenge that has affected me the most has been poor mental health. Mental health problems have caused my lowest points in life, and no matter what I do to combat them, they are permanent. Because of this, over the past few years I have learned to cope with my mental health and live with it every day. Doing this, I not only allowed my depression and anxiety symptoms to lessen, but I became a stronger and more resilient person. I learned that I do have the ability to change my perception of the world. My journey with mental health issues is ongoing and has affected every aspect of my life. My relationships with others have been bruised, my social skills impaired, and my performance in school has taken its fair share of dips. For a very long time, I let my issues take control of me, surrendering to fits of depression and panic attacks. I became angry, spiteful, and completely pessimistic. Needless to say, I was not a happy person. I hated school, was just as bored at home, and got worried sick whenever homework was swamping me. The negative emotions I felt only added to my miserableness, and I felt trapped. During a long period of time, however, I developed skills through cognitive behavioral therapy and discovered how my mind worked. I was able to remove myself from some emotions, evaluating the situations rationally and using logic to overcome anxiety and depression’s warped thought patterns. Today, I look back at that time period less terribly, as through hardships I was able to mature as a person and become more resilient and persistent at facing my problems. As mental health does not act as a physical adversity, it is often hard to spot. At some times, the victim may not want to spot it. As many are, I was first closed-off and in denial about my mental health problems, as I was embarrassed to have them in the first place. I felt weak and vulnerable compared to my peers, and started feeling like everyone else could be happy so easily, while I had to give my all to even start to feel joy. The biggest step I took, as shameful as it was for me at the time, was to talk to others about my mental health issues. Opening up was the start to a period of major change for me, as I was given countless outlets to treat and evaluate my mental health. I started to attend therapy and did use some medication, but even then, I was struggling. However, over time, I gained skills to combat my anxiety and depression. I can now calm myself down more easily, breathe when I need to, and get myself out of a funk. In recent years, I have developed quite a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I am fascinated learning how the mind works and how it can improve lives. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can use it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health.

While I have faced countless challenges in my life, the challenge that has affected me the most has been poor mental health. These have caused my lowest points in life. Over the past few years, I have learned to better cope and live with it every day. This not only allowed my depression and anxiety symptoms to lessen, but I became a stronger and more resilient person. I learned that I do have the ability to change my perception of the world. My journey with mental health issues is ongoing and has affected every aspect of my life. My relationships with others have been bruised, my social skills impaired, and my performance in school has taken its fair share of dips. For a very long time, I let my issues take control of me, surrendering to fits of depression and panic attacks. I became angry, spiteful, and completely pessimistic. Needless to say, I was not a happy person. Over recent years, however, I developed skills through cognitive behavioral therapy and discovered how my mind worked. This was the start to a period of major change for me.. Over time, I gained skills to combat my anxiety and depression. I can now calm myself down more easily, breathe when I need to, and get myself out of a funk. I am now better able to evaluate my thoughts rationally and use logic to overcome anxiety and depression’s warped thought patterns. Today, I look back at that time period less terribly, as through hardships I was able to mature as a person and become more resilient. In recent years, I have developed quite a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I am fascinated learning how the mind works and how it can improve lives. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can use it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health.

Throughout my teenage years, I have struggled with intense anxiety and depression. My journey with mental health issues is ongoing, and has affected every aspect of my life. My relationships with others have been bruised, my social skills impaired, and my performance in school has taken its fair share of dips. For a very long time, I let my issues take control of me, surrendering to fits of depression and panic attacks. I became angry, spiteful, and completely pessimistic. Needless to say, I was not a happy person. I hated school, was just as bored at home, and got worried sick whenever homework was swamping me. The negative emotions I felt only added to my miserableness, and I felt trapped. While it was uncomfortable to admit at first, therapy and a better understanding of myself have helped me speak more openly about my problems. Living with these mental health issues has often spelled disaster for my everyday life, where a bit of anxiety can turn into a panic attack over the littlest things, or one small issue can send me barreling down a path of negativity. Despite this, I have fought my hardest to work towards my goals, maintaining As and high Bs throughout my entire time in school. It was no easy task, as not many things are, but I am still motivated to continue my education. My whole life, I have planned on going to college and pursuing a degree to not only provide for me and my family, but also to use my skills in communication to help others through their lives, as others have done for me. In recent years, I have developed quite a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and their practices and theories personally and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I have always taken quite a liking to how the mind works and how we can take advantage of that knowledge to make our lives as well as others’ lives easier. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can use it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health. The second major reason I am pursuing a degree is for the opportunities a degree can grant me. Firstly, graduating with a degree can allow for career opportunities. Right now, I have a small job at Dunkin’ Donuts, but a career is much more than making coffees for customers. A college degree in psychology, an area I am passionate about, will open up new opportunities to not only maintain a stable and highly successful career but also allow me to live comfortably and not face an upward struggle for my adult life as long as my college tuition is paid off! This would help tremendously in keeping my mental health in check, as I would not have to worry as much about finances and would be able to keep a clear head with few major things to worry about. A secondary opportunity that a degree can grant me is social connections with others that share my interests. This can open up paths to new friendships with other psychology students while also allowing me to learn from others’ experiences, broaden my knowledge in my area of study, and improve my skills for my future career. Mental health issues are something that everyone struggles with at some point in their life, some more than others, but they are also something that can be treated and minimized for their victims. I believe a key way I can improve my mental health as well as many others’ is to pursue a degree in my passion, clinical psychology, providing a stable foundation for my life and allowing me to help others stabilize theirs.

While I have faced countless challenges in my life, the challenge that has affected me the most has been poor mental health. Mental health problems have caused my lowest points in life, and no matter what I do to combat them, they are permanent. Because of this, over the past few years I have learned to cope with my mental health and live with it every day. Doing this, I not only allowed my depression and anxiety symptoms to lessen, but I became a stronger and more resilient person. I learned that I do have the ability to change my perception of the world. My journey with mental health issues is ongoing and has affected every aspect of my life. My relationships with others have been bruised, my social skills impaired, and my performance in school has taken its fair share of dips. For a very long time, I let my issues take control of me, surrendering to fits of depression and panic attacks. I became angry, spiteful, and completely pessimistic. Needless to say, I was not a happy person. I hated school, was just as bored at home, and got worried sick whenever homework was swamping me. The negative emotions I felt only added to my miserableness, and I felt trapped. During a long period of time, however, I developed skills through cognitive behavioral therapy and discovered how my mind worked. I was able to remove myself from some emotions, evaluating the situations rationally and using logic to overcome anxiety and depression’s warped thought patterns. Today, I look back at that time period less terribly, as through hardships I was able to mature as a person and become more resilient and persistent at facing my problems. As mental health does not act as a physical adversity, it is often hard to spot. At some times, the victim may not want to spot it. As many are, I was first closed-off and in denial about my mental health problems, as I was embarrassed to have them in the first place. I felt weak and vulnerable compared to my peers, and started feeling like everyone else but I could be happy so easily, while I had to give my all to even start to feel joy. The biggest step I took, as shameful as it was for me at the time, was to talk to others about my mental issues. Opening up was the start to a period of major change for me, as I was given countless outlets to treat and evaluate my mental health. I started to attend therapy and did use some medication, but even then, I was struggling. However, over time, I gained skills to combat my anxiety and depression. I can now calm myself down more easily, breathe when I needed to, and get myself out of a funk. In recent years, I have developed quite a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I am fascinated learning how the mind works and how it can improve lives. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can use it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health.

While I have faced countless challenges in my life, the challenge that has affected me the most has been poor mental health. Mental health problems have caused my lowest points in life, and no matter what I do to combat them, they are permanent. Because of this, over the past few years I have learned to cope with my mental health and live with it every day. Doing this, I not only allowed my depression and anxiety symptoms to lessen, but I became a stronger and more resilient person. I learned that I do have the ability to change my perception of the world. My journey with mental health issues is ongoing and has affected every aspect of my life. My relationships with others have been bruised, my social skills impaired, and my performance in school has taken its fair share of dips. For a very long time, I let my issues take control of me, surrendering to fits of depression and panic attacks. I became angry, spiteful, and completely pessimistic. Needless to say, I was not a happy person. I hated school, was just as bored at home, and got worried sick whenever homework was swamping me. The negative emotions I felt only added to my miserableness, and I felt trapped. During a long period of time, however, I developed skills through cognitive behavioral therapy and discovered how my mind worked. I was able to remove myself from some emotions, evaluating the situations rationally and using logic to overcome anxiety and depression’s warped thought patterns. Today, I look back at that time period less terribly, as through hardships I was able to mature as a person and become more resilient and persistent at facing my problems. As mental health does not act as a physical adversity, it is often hard to spot. At some times, the victim may not want to spot it. As many are, I was first closed-off and in denial about my mental health problems, as I was embarrassed to have them in the first place. I felt weak and vulnerable compared to my peers, and started feeling like everyone else but I could be happy so easily, while I had to give my all to even start to feel joy. The biggest step I took, as shameful as it was for me at the time, was to talk to others about my mental issues. Opening up was the start to a period of major change for me, as I was given countless outlets to treat and evaluate my mental health. I started to attend therapy and did use some medication, but even then, I was struggling. However, over time, I gained skills to combat my anxiety and depression. I can now calm myself down more easily, breathe when I needed to, and get myself out of a funk. In recent years, I have developed quite a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I am fascinated learning how the mind works and how it can improve lives. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can use it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health.

Throughout my teenage years, I have struggled with intense anxiety and depression. While it was uncomfortable to admit at first, therapy and a better understanding of myself have helped me speak more openly about my problems. Living with these mental health issues has often spelled disaster for my everyday life, where a bit of anxiety can turn into a panic attack over the littlest things, or one small issue can send me barreling down a path of negativity. Despite this, I have fought my hardest to work towards my goals, maintaining As and high Bs throughout my entire time in school. It was no easy task, as not many things are, but I am still motivated to continue my education. My whole life, I have planned on going to college and pursuing a degree to not only provide for me and my family, but also to use my skills in communication to help others through their lives, as others have done for me. In recent years, I have developed quite a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and their practices and theories personally and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I have always taken quite a liking to how the mind works and how we can take advantage of that knowledge to make our lives as well as others’ lives easier. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can use it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health. The second major reason I am pursuing a degree is for the opportunities a degree can grant me. Firstly, graduating with a degree can allow for career opportunities. Right now, I have a small job at Dunkin’ Donuts, but a career is much more than making coffees for customers. A college degree in psychology, an area I am passionate about, will open up new opportunities to not only maintain a stable and highly successful career but also allow me to live comfortably and not face an upward struggle for my adult life as long as my college tuition is paid off! This scholarship would help tremendously in keeping my mental health in check, as I would not have to worry as much about finances and would be able to keep a clear head, focused on my degree with few major things to worry about. A secondary opportunity that a degree can grant me is social connections with others that share my interests. This can open up paths to new friendships with other psychology students while also allowing me to learn from others’ experiences, broaden my knowledge in my area of study, and improve my skills for my future career. Mental health issues are something that everyone struggles with at some point in their life, some more than others, but they are also something that can be treated and minimized for their victims. I believe a key way I can improve my mental health as well as many others’ is to pursue a degree in my passion, clinical psychology, providing a stable foundation for my life and allowing me to help others stabilize theirs.

While I have faced countless challenges in my life, the challenge that has affected me the most has been poor mental health. Mental health problems have caused my lowest points in life, and no matter what I do to combat them, they are permanent. Because of this, over the past few years I have learned to cope with my mental health and live with it every day. Doing this, I not only allowed my depression and anxiety symptoms to lessen, but I became a stronger and more resilient person. I learned that I do have the ability to change my perception of the world. My journey with mental health issues is ongoing and has affected every aspect of my life. My relationships with others have been bruised, my social skills impaired, and my performance in school has taken its fair share of dips. For a very long time, I let my issues take control of me, surrendering to fits of depression and panic attacks. I became angry, spiteful, and completely pessimistic. Needless to say, I was not a happy person. I hated school, was just as bored at home, and got worried sick whenever homework was swamping me. The negative emotions I felt only added to my miserableness, and I felt trapped. During a long period of time, however, I developed skills through cognitive behavioral therapy and discovered how my mind worked. I was able to remove myself from some emotions, evaluating the situations rationally and using logic to overcome anxiety and depression’s warped thought patterns. Today, I look back at that time period less terribly, as through hardships I was able to mature as a person and become more resilient and persistent at facing my problems. As mental health does not act as a physical adversity, it is often hard to spot. At some times, the victim may not want to spot it. As many are, I was first closed-off and in denial about my mental health problems, as I was embarrassed to have them in the first place. I felt weak and vulnerable compared to my peers, and started feeling like everyone else but I could be happy so easily, while I had to give my all to even start to feel joy. The biggest step I took, as shameful as it was for me at the time, was to talk to others about my mental issues. Opening up was the start to a period of major change for me, as I was given countless outlets to treat and evaluate my mental health. I started to attend therapy and did use some medication, but even then, I was struggling. However, over time, I gained skills to combat my anxiety and depression. I can now calm myself down more easily, breathe when I needed to, and get myself out of a funk. In recent years, I have developed quite a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I am fascinated learning how the mind works and how it can improve lives. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can use it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health.

While I have faced countless challenges in my life, the challenge that has affected me the most has been poor mental health. Mental health problems have caused my lowest points in life, and no matter what I do to combat them, they are permanent. Because of this, over the past few years I have learned to cope with my mental health and live with it every day. Doing this, I not only allowed my depression and anxiety symptoms to lessen, but I became a stronger and more resilient person. I learned that I do have the ability to change my perception of the world. My journey with mental health issues is ongoing and has affected every aspect of my life. My relationships with others have been bruised, my social skills impaired, and my performance in school has taken its fair share of dips. For a very long time, I let my issues take control of me, surrendering to fits of depression and panic attacks. I became angry, spiteful, and completely pessimistic. Needless to say, I was not a happy person. I hated school, was just as bored at home, and got worried sick whenever homework was swamping me. The negative emotions I felt only added to my miserableness, and I felt trapped. During a long period of time, however, I developed skills through cognitive behavioral therapy and discovered how my mind worked. I was able to remove myself from some emotions, evaluating the situations rationally and using logic to overcome anxiety and depression’s warped thought patterns. Today, I look back at that time period less terribly, as through hardships I was able to mature as a person and become more resilient and persistent at facing my problems. As mental health does not act as a physical adversity, it is often hard to spot. At some times, the victim may not want to spot it. As many are, I was first closed-off and in denial about my mental health problems, as I was embarrassed to have them in the first place. I felt weak and vulnerable compared to my peers, and started feeling like everyone else but I could be happy so easily, while I had to give my all to even start to feel joy. The biggest step I took, as shameful as it was for me at the time, was to talk to others about my mental issues. Opening up was the start to a period of major change for me, as I was given countless outlets to treat and evaluate my mental health. I started to attend therapy and did use some medication, but even then, I was struggling. However, over time, I gained skills to combat my anxiety and depression. I can now calm myself down more easily, breathe when I needed to, and get myself out of a funk. In recent years, I have developed quite a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I am fascinated learning how the mind works and how it can improve lives. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can use it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health.

Throughout my teenage years, I have struggled with intense anxiety and depression. While it was uncomfortable to admit at first, therapy and a better understanding of myself have helped me speak more openly about my problems. Living with these mental health issues has often spelled disaster for my everyday life, where a bit of anxiety can turn into a panic attack over the littlest things, or one small issue can send me barreling down a path of negativity. Despite this, I have fought my hardest to work towards my goals, maintaining As and high Bs throughout my entire time in school. It was no easy task, as not many things are, but I am still motivated to continue my education. My whole life, I have planned on going to college and pursuing a degree to not only provide for me and my family, but also to use my skills in communication to help others through their lives, as others have done for me. In recent years, I have developed quite a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and their practices and theories personally and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I have always taken quite a liking to how the mind works and how we can take advantage of that knowledge to make our lives as well as others’ lives easier. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can use it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health. The second major reason I am pursuing a degree is for the opportunities a degree can grant me. Firstly, graduating with a degree can allow for career opportunities. Right now, I have a small job at Dunkin’ Donuts, but a career is much more than making coffees for customers. A college degree in psychology, an area I am passionate about, will open up new opportunities to not only maintain a stable and highly successful career but also allow me to live comfortably and not face an upward struggle for my adult life as long as my college tuition is paid off! This would help tremendously in keeping my mental health in check, as I would not have to worry as much about finances and would be able to keep a clear head with few major things to worry about. A secondary opportunity that a degree can grant me is social connections with others that share my interests. This can open up paths to new friendships with other psychology students while also allowing me to learn from others’ experiences, broaden my knowledge in my area of study, and improve my skills for my future career. Mental health issues are something that everyone struggles with at some point in their life, some more than others, but they are also something that can be treated and minimized for their victims. I believe a key way I can improve my mental health as well as many others’ is to pursue a degree in my passion, clinical psychology, providing a stable foundation for my life and allowing me to help others stabilize theirs.

While I have faced countless challenges in my life, the challenge that has affected me the most has been poor mental health. Mental health problems have caused my lowest points in life, and no matter what I do to combat them, they are permanent. Because of this, over the past few years I have learned to cope with my mental health and live with it every day. Doing this, I not only allowed my depression and anxiety symptoms to lessen, but I became a stronger and more resilient person. I learned that I do have the ability to change my perception of the world. My journey with mental health issues is ongoing and has affected every aspect of my life. My relationships with others have been bruised, my social skills impaired, and my performance in school has taken its fair share of dips. For a very long time, I let my issues take control of me, surrendering to fits of depression and panic attacks. I became angry, spiteful, and completely pessimistic. Needless to say, I was not a happy person. I hated school, was just as bored at home, and got worried sick whenever homework was swamping me. The negative emotions I felt only added to my miserableness, and I felt trapped. During a long period of time, however, I developed skills through cognitive behavioral therapy and discovered how my mind worked. I was able to remove myself from some emotions, evaluating the situations rationally and using logic to overcome anxiety and depression’s warped thought patterns. Today, I look back at that time period less terribly, as through hardships I was able to mature as a person and become more resilient and persistent at facing my problems. As mental health does not act as a physical adversity, it is often hard to spot. At some times, the victim may not want to spot it. As many are, I was first closed-off and in denial about my mental health problems, as I was embarrassed to have them in the first place. I felt weak and vulnerable compared to my peers, and started feeling like everyone else but I could be happy so easily, while I had to give my all to even start to feel joy. The biggest step I took, as shameful as it was for me at the time, was to talk to others about my mental issues. Opening up was the start to a period of major change for me, as I was given countless outlets to treat and evaluate my mental health. I started to attend therapy and did use some medication, but even then, I was struggling. However, over time, I gained skills to combat my anxiety and depression. I can now calm myself down more easily, breathe when I needed to, and get myself out of a funk. Over time, I do believe that I will further improve in my endless fight for good mental health. While it is taxing on me, it has taught me valuable lessons. In the end, coaching myself in the moments where I am the weakest gives me some of the greatest strengths in my life, and allows me to not only deal better with my problems, but to find fulfillment in my growth.

Throughout my teenage years, I have struggled with intense anxiety and depression. While it was uncomfortable to admit at first, therapy and a better understanding of myself have helped me speak more openly about my problems. Living with these mental health issues has often spelled disaster for my everyday life, where a bit of anxiety can turn into a panic attack over the littlest things, or one small issue can send me barreling down a path of negativity. Despite this, I have fought my hardest to work towards my goals, maintaining As and high Bs throughout my entire time in school. It was no easy task, as not many things are, but I am still motivated to continue my education. My whole life, I have planned on going to college and pursuing a degree to not only provide for me and my family, but also to use my skills in communication to help others through their lives, as others have done for me. My journey with mental health issues is ongoing and has affected every aspect of my life. My relationships with others have been bruised, my social skills impaired, and my performance in school has taken its fair share of dips. For a very long time, I let my issues take control of me, surrendering to fits of depression and panic attacks. I became angry, spiteful, and completely pessimistic. Needless to say, I was not a happy person. I hated school, was just as bored at home, and got worried sick whenever homework was swamping me. The negative emotions I felt only added to my miserableness, and I felt trapped. During a long period of time, however, I developed skills through cognitive behavioral therapy and discovered how my mind worked. I was able to remove myself from some emotions, evaluating the situations rationally and using logic to overcome anxiety and depression’s warped thought patterns. Today, I look back at that time period less terribly, as through hardships I was able to mature as a person and become more resilient and persistent at facing my problems. As many are, I was first closed-off and in denial about my mental health problems, as I was embarrassed to have them in the first place. I felt weak and vulnerable compared to my peers, and started feeling like everyone else but I could be happy so easily, while I had to give my all to even start to feel joy. The biggest step I took, as shameful as it was for me at the time, was to talk to others about my mental issues. Opening up was the start to a period of major change for me, as I was given countless outlets to treat and evaluate my mental health. I started to attend therapy and did use some medication, but even then, I was struggling. However, over time, I gained skills to combat my anxiety and depression. I can now calm myself down more easily, breathe when I needed to, and get myself out of a funk. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can use it to help others understand themselves and fight their fights. Over time, I do believe that I will further improve in my endless fight for good mental health. While it is taxing on me, it has taught me valuable lessons. In the end, coaching myself in the moments where I am the weakest gives me some of the greatest strengths in my life, and allows me to deal better with my problems, and to find fulfillment in my growth.

Throughout my teenage years, I have struggled with intense anxiety and depression. While it was uncomfortable to admit at first, therapy and a better understanding of myself have helped me speak more openly about my problems. Living with these mental health issues has often spelled disaster for my everyday life. A bit of anxiety can turn into a panic attack over the littlest things, or one small issue can send me barreling down a path of negativity. Despite this, I have fought my hardest to work towards my goals, maintaining As and high Bs throughout my entire time in school. It was no easy task, as not many things are, but I am still motivated to continue my education. My whole life, I have planned on going to college and pursuing a degree and use my communication skills to help others, as others have done for me. In recent years, I have developed a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I have taken an interest in how the mind works and how we can take advantage of that knowledge to help others. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can use it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health. My journey with mental health issues is ongoing and has affected every aspect of my life. My relationships with others have been bruised, my social skills impaired, and my performance in school has taken its fair share of dips. For a very long time, I let my issues take control of me, surrendering to fits of depression and panic attacks. I became angry, spiteful, and completely pessimistic. Needless to say, I was not a happy person. I hated school, was just as bored at home, and got worried sick whenever homework was swamping me. The negative emotions I felt only added to my miserableness, and I felt trapped. During a long period of time, however, I developed skills through cognitive behavioral therapy and discovered how my mind worked. I was able to remove myself from some emotions, evaluating the situations rationally and using logic to overcome anxiety and depression’s warped thought patterns. Through hard work I was able to mature as a person and become more resilient and persistent at facing my problems. As many are, I was first closed-off and in denial about my mental health problems, as I was embarrassed to have them in the first place. I felt weak and vulnerable compared to my peers, and started feeling like everyone else but I could be happy so easily, while I had to give my all to feel joy. The biggest step I took, as shameful as it was for me at the time, was to talk to others about my mental issues. Opening up was the start to a period of major change for me. I started to attend therapy and did use some medication, but even then, I was struggling. However, over time, I gained skills to combat my anxiety and depression. I can now calm myself down more easily, breathe when I needed to, and get myself out of a funk.

I have suffered from social anxiety for most of my life. As I moved into high school, I have tried to push my boundaries, getting out of my comfort zone and tried to make new friends. Though it was difficult at first, the time I spent out of my comfort zone proved invaluable to me. My freshman year (2020-2021) was a difficult time for me. COVID-19 was still out of control, everyone was still figuring out how to learn and teach online and I was stuck at home with little to no real-life social interactions. I felt alienated. While most of my peers started to attend school in person about halfway through the year, I stayed online much longer in order to protect my mom, who is immunocompromised. I barely attended one month of in-person school during my freshman year and it was quite isolating to see everyone but me getting back together. While I did have some contact with others virtually, many of my social connections were lost due to a lack of contact with my peers. I was more alone than ever, even when I eventually attended school in person, as it was difficult for me to reacquire the social skills I hadn’t used in such a long time. Luckily, freshman year would be the worst of it. Sophomore year, I decided that I would get out of my shell and actively try to seek out new friends. While it was nerve-wracking at first, I quickly became comfortable and reacquainted with the “real world”. I felt a sense of belonging; something that had been missing for over a year, and it helped me become more confident in myself, and in turn generally happier. I became friends with all different kinds of people quickly and easily and brought my social life to a point that I had never thought possible. I believe that placing myself in social situations was pivotal to my high school experience. I have formed some of the strongest friendships I have using this skill and continue to use it even today. I have found that learning this lesson has helped me in many ways outside of school, building my confidence and communication skills for use at my job, in therapy and in my personal relationships. I have become a more honest, direct person who values communication over anything else and I try to initiate conversations whenever I can. This growth has inspired me to improve myself in other areas as it has encouraged me and shown me that if I put my mind to something and work hard enough at that goal, I can reach it, no matter what it is. In recent years, I have developed quite a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and their practices and theories personally and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I have always taken quite a liking to how the mind works and how we can take advantage of that knowledge to make our lives as well as others’ lives easier. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can use it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health.

While I have faced countless challenges in my life, the challenge that has affected me the most has been poor mental health. Mental health problems have caused my lowest points in life, and no matter what I do to combat them, they are permanent. Because of this, over the past few years I have learned to cope with my mental health and live with it every day. Doing this, I not only allowed my depression and anxiety symptoms to lessen, but I became a stronger and more resilient person. I learned that I do have the ability to change my perception of the world. My journey with mental health issues is ongoing and has affected every aspect of my life. My relationships with others have been bruised, my social skills impaired, and my performance in school has taken its fair share of dips. For a very long time, I let my issues take control of me, surrendering to fits of depression and panic attacks. I became angry, spiteful, and completely pessimistic. Needless to say, I was not a happy person. I hated school, was just as bored at home, and got worried sick whenever homework was swamping me. The negative emotions I felt only added to my miserableness, and I felt trapped. During a long period of time, however, I developed skills through cognitive behavioral therapy and discovered how my mind worked. I was able to remove myself from some emotions, evaluating the situations rationally and using logic to overcome anxiety and depression’s warped thought patterns. Today, I look back at that time period less terribly, as through hardships I was able to mature as a person and become more resilient and persistent at facing my problems. As mental health does not act as a physical adversity, it is often hard to spot. At some times, the victim may not want to spot it. As many are, I was first closed-off and in denial about my mental health problems, as I was embarrassed to have them in the first place. I felt weak and vulnerable compared to my peers, and started feeling like everyone else but I could be happy so easily, while I had to give my all to even start to feel joy. The biggest step I took, as shameful as it was for me at the time, was to talk to others about my mental issues. Opening up was the start to a period of major change for me, as I was given countless outlets to treat and evaluate my mental health. I started to attend therapy and did use some medication, but even then, I was struggling. However, over time, I gained skills to combat my anxiety and depression. I can now calm myself down more easily, breathe when I needed to, and get myself out of a funk. Over time, I do believe that I will further improve in my endless fight for good mental health. While it is taxing on me, it has taught me valuable lessons. In the end, coaching myself in the moments where I am the weakest gives me some of the greatest strengths in my life, and allows me to not only deal better with my problems, but to find fulfillment in my growth.

Throughout my teenage years, I have struggled with intense anxiety and depression. While it was uncomfortable to admit at first, therapy and a better understanding of myself have helped me speak more openly about my problems. Living with these mental health issues has often spelled disaster for my everyday life, where a bit of anxiety can turn into a panic attack over the littlest things, or one small issue can send me barreling down a path of negativity. Despite this, I have fought my hardest to work towards my goals, maintaining As and high Bs throughout my entire time in school. It was no easy task, as not many things are, but I am still motivated to continue my education. My whole life, I have planned on going to college and pursuing a degree to not only provide for me and my family, but also to use my skills in communication to help others through their lives, as others have done for me. In recent years, I have developed quite a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and their practices and theories personally and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I have always taken quite a liking to how the mind works and how we can take advantage of that knowledge to make our lives as well as others’ lives easier. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can us it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health. The second major reason I am pursuing a degree is for the opportunities a degree can grant me. Firstly, graduating with a degree can allow for career opportunities. Right now, I have a small job at Dunkin’ Donuts, but a career is much more than making coffees for customers. A college degree in psychology, an area I am passionate about, will open up new opportunities to not only maintain a stable and highly successful career but also allow me to live comfortably and not face an upward struggle for my adult life as long as my college tuition is paid off! This would help tremendously in keeping my mental health in check, as I would not have to worry as much about finances and would be able to keep a clear head with few major things to worry about. A secondary opportunity that a degree can grant me is social connections with others that share my interests. This can open up paths to new friendships with other psychology students while also allowing me to learn from others’ experiences, broaden my knowledge in my area of study, and improve my skills for my future career. Mental health issues are something that everyone struggles with at some point in their life, some more than others, but they are also something that can be treated and minimized for their victims. I believe a key way I can improve my mental health as well as many others’ is to pursue a degree in my passion, clinical psychology, providing a stable foundation for my life and allowing me to help others stabilize theirs.

Throughout my teenage years, I have struggled with intense anxiety and depression. While it was uncomfortable to admit at first, therapy and a better understanding of myself have helped me speak more openly about my problems. Living with these mental health issues has often spelled disaster for my everyday life, where a bit of anxiety can turn into a panic attack over the littlest things, or one small issue can send me barreling down a path of negativity. Despite this, I have fought my hardest to work towards my goals, maintaining As and high Bs throughout my entire time in school. It was no easy task, as not many things are, but I am still motivated to continue my education. My whole life, I have planned on going to college and pursuing a degree to not only provide for me and my family, but also to use my skills in communication to help others through their lives, as others have done for me. In recent years, I have developed quite a knack for psychology. I studied psychologists and their practices and theories personally and took AP Psychology my junior year of high school, scoring a 4 on the exam. I have always taken quite a liking to how the mind works and how we can take advantage of that knowledge to make our lives as well as others’ lives easier. Because of this passion, I am drawn to a clinical psychology degree, as I can us it to help others understand themselves and gain further knowledge about people in general. I myself have struggled for many years with issues that some of my patients will be facing, so not only will I be able to apply my psychological knowledge towards helping them, but I may also be able to speak from an inside perspective on learning how to cope with poor mental health. The second major reason I am pursuing a degree is for the opportunities a degree can grant me. Firstly, graduating with a degree can allow for career opportunities. Right now, I have a small job at Dunkin’ Donuts, but a career is much more than making coffees for customers. A college degree in psychology, an area I am passionate about, will open up new opportunities to not only maintain a stable and highly successful career but also allow me to live comfortably and not face an upward struggle for my adult life as long as my college tuition is paid off! This would help tremendously in keeping my mental health in check, as I would not have to worry as much about finances and would be able to keep a clear head with few major things to worry about. A secondary opportunity that a degree can grant me is social connections with others that share my interests. This can open up paths to new friendships with other psychology students while also allowing me to learn from others’ experiences, broaden my knowledge in my area of study, and improve my skills for my future career. Mental health issues are something that everyone struggles with at some point in their life, some more than others, but they are also something that can be treated and minimized for their victims. I believe a key way I can improve my mental health as well as many others’ is to pursue a degree in my passion, clinical psychology, providing a stable foundation for my life and allowing me to help others stabilize theirs.