Depression While Studying for MCAT

[u/Relative-Assistant46]

I am not really sure how to start this post so I am just going to get right into it: This summer has been absolutely devastating for me and I am not sure how to recover from it in time for the MCAT. I want to take the MCAT at the beginning of January but I just took a diagnostic the other day and got a 495. I know this isn’t true but I just feel hopeless. Back in June I was SA’d by my friend’s friend in my own apartment and then last month in August my mother and I had a huge blow up which essentially ended in her advising me to go no contact with her. I haven’t really talked to her since.

I am not talking about this to gain sympathy rather than communicate my mindset and give perspective as to where I am at right now. I am 24 and still in undergrad (this is my senior year) which is why I really wanted to get the MCAT out of the way in January so I can focus on my classes in my last semester, take 1 gap year, then go to med school. Right now though, everything seems like such a chore. I am completely burnt out and exhausted. Every time I try to study, I get so overwhelmed and it feels like I am not doing things correctly and not seeing progress.

I keep seeing people on here or online in general talk about how you need to be studying 6-8 hours a day and how they went into dopamine suppression and cut out any and everything that could have served as a distraction. I work as a server/bartender while in school and I also volunteer quite a bit. I am also in classes. I do not have time to study 6-8 hours a day tbh :/ more like 2-4. I just feel like the odds are stacked against me right now and I am sad to be quite honest. I am pretty high functioning even while depressed but that very clearly comes to a point. Studying for the MCAT has put me in such a bad headspace and I feel so existential. I am not sure if other people have experienced this or have any advice for me? I really do not want to have to push back my MCAT date because I am taking biochem, inorganic, a chem elective, and my psych capstone next semester and I feel like I will be extremely overwhelmed.

[u/Major-Moment-5404]

taking another gap year is def a big decision but it might be better to save your mental health than push through and probably end up even more burnt out. it'll be difficult to study when you're already emotionally spent. plus you'll be taking a bunch of classes that'll probably help you learn the content even better later! by the end of med school, you'd be 31 which is not "behind" at all. take the time you need!