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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
Anyway, we jumped into rescue mode.  For 4 months until the end of December, my DD saw her regular psychiatrist, visited a cognitive behavioral therapist weekly, changed her meds, and focused on nothing but her well-being.  I’d been tempted to ask her to get a job (you know, the whole “you need to be productive!” mindset, but the psychiatrist said to treat her as if she’s ill.  Just as a physically sick person would need to rest her body, in the same fashion my DD needed to rest her mind.

The university (a top 25 public...not to be overly specific) was helpful in preserving DD’s academic path.  They allowed a late withdrawal with all funds returned, though she was just past the no-cost withdrawal period.  It wasn’t a medical withdrawal, just a leave.  They kept her academic scholarship on ice, as long as she’d go back full-time within a year.  And they let us know that she could come back without needing to be readmitted as long as she didn’t miss 3 consecutive semesters.

It’s gone better than we hoped, although I always have anxiety about what’s to come.  After the 4-month healing break, during which her meds were tweaked to a more effective level, my daughter returned to a modified semester.  We paid for her to live in an apartment near campus, and we paid for a couple of part-time classes.  She also took on a volunteer role working with animals, which gives her joy.  She’s far better than she was, though I check in with her daily, per her therapist’s recommendation.

She’s still on schedule to be a senior by the fall, but I don’t think she’ll be able to go full-time.  That means she’ll lose her academic scholarship, and she won’t graduate in 4 years.  My DH and I have reassured her that it’s okay, but her perfectionism is such that it could exacerbate her depression.  We can only hope that we’re putting the right supports in place, and everyone has to go at her own pace.  We’ve also told her that it’s okay to come home if she needs to, even if it means not finishing her degree.  Nothing is more important than her health.  That’s something I used to say, but now I feel it in my bones.

Good luck to your friend.[/quote]

We’re doing the exact same Rescue Mode with my Junior Stepson this semester. I’ve been spending Sunday’s prepping healthy meals and snacks and bringing them to his moms house. He takes walks with his mom. I’m glad your daughter is on the upswing. I hope my stepson takes a similar path. [/quote]

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