Depression in High Achievers

[GillSt.Bernards]

It always helps to tal to some one. Although I do not suffer from depression this year was so hard for me having a team of 4 people and a faculty advisor who made it impossible to get things done.

My advice: Find a mentor who you can really relate too and talk to openly about anything. I found one of them and she was really able to help me and now I can talk to her about anything. They are in the same boat as you and sometimes that is easier then talking to someone from your school.

[NorviewsVeteran]

Originally Posted by GillSt.Bernards

My advice: Find a mentor who you can really relate too and talk to openly about anything.

...or teacher, custodian, parent (doesn't have to be yours), other student, etc...

[Molten]

I'm available if anyone needs an anonymous source to vent to.

[GillSt.Bernards]

Originally Posted by NorviewsVeteran

...or teacher, custodian, parent (doesn't have to be yours), other student, etc...

See the reason I was thinking a mentor because usually when you talk to people around your school even if it was a teacher or a custodian it always gets around. I mean I go to a really small private school and things get around so quickly because the teachers talk to each other and the students talk to each other. Sometimes it is best to keep things away from your school.

[Nawaid Ladak]

i've gone through this before (not clinical though). usually it happens in the off-season when i have nothing to do. and im stuck doing the same things every couple of days ie: school, work, homework, repeat.

sometimes you just need a good nap to fix things, Take a day off and just sleep. it will let you clear your head and allow you to start over.

I also found that if you have other hobbies, the better. I play card games, I'll practice for tourneys and other things during the FIRST off season, but im usually away from that during the FIRST season.

in other words, "always have something to do that will change up your live"

There are lots of ways you can find help for depression; you just have to find one and make it work.

[pneddhao]

I'm feeling kind of bad, today.
We spent a lot of time improving our robot after the Cass Tech competition, and managed to make it work much better, but we didn't do any better at the Detroit competition.
We did get the imagery award, which we're all so proud of, but FIRST has really been the only thing saving me from the horribleness of my school, and it looks like we won't be making it to Ypsilanti or Atlanta. =(
I hope that everyone that does make it has fun, and I'll certainly stay involved, but it's sad to realize that this is my last year as a student, and it's over, unless we get really lucky and get to go.
Even if we do somehow make it, though, I don't think we'll have the money to get there. >_>

My school actually does not offer any AP or honors courses, so FIRST is the only challenge I've been given - I love it so much, and I'm sad to know that my time as a student is over, now.
There's a lot of bullying, and people have even physically bullied me, only to be given a "warning", or for there to be no 'proof', and thus 'no offense'. It's frustrating, and I guess it doesn't help me to not feel depressed, haha.

If anyone needs an ear, I'm here.
Thank you for starting this post, and I'm sorry to have vented so much.

[Molten]

Two things for pneddhao:

First off, no reason to be sorry for venting. If there was ever a thread to vent, it would be this one( or my old "thats annoying" thread)

Secondly, mentoring is great. To be honest, I find it to be more of a challenge then it was to be a student. As a student, you give it your all. If you think of something, say it. If you can do something, do it. As a mentor, there is a lot more that goes through your head. For instance, if I see that some dimensions aren't going to work and see an easy way to fix it. I used to be able to just fix it and be on my way. However, now I try to get the students to figure out how to fix it. It might be the way I found but it might be different. For better or worse, that is the idea we go with.

Also, standard thought is that you have to mentor for your old team. Not true. Up until this year I've been a student/mentor for 1766. However, this year do to traveling that wasn't going to work. So, I found out about 1529. They are close to where I live now, are student based (a must for any team I'll ever help, not starting debate...just saying), and it worked out that I could meet them before hand at CAGE match. I learned about them through PMing the team on here.

If you would like to get away from your old school for whatever reason, and would like to continue with FIRST try to find some other teams. Particularly ones near the college of your choosing. I knew the teacher and 1 student off of 1529 before the build season. Found the school on the kick off date. And still don't know half of the students names. But I had a lot of fun, and would like to think that I had some sort of a beneficial effect on their team. At times, I really found myself getting in the way of the students.(This was actually a good feeling because I knew they were doing everything fine.) On another note, I think I learned as much this year as being a mentor as I did as a student. Sure, I learned about people and stuff...but I still learned a lot about robotics I didn't know. 1529 has some tools that 1766 doesn't and vice versa. I feel this year really has diversified me.

I know that was a very wordy post. To anyone considering mentoring though, I would suggest you read my words.(specifically the second note)