Post Grad Chronicles Part 1: Transition Period of Awareness
- Apr 24, 2017
- 4 min read
It’s time to finally write about this topic which there is not a lot of research has been done on (to my knowledge), but I would love for you all to take the journey with me. Not everybody will experience this depression, but I know someone is going through this right now or has been through it and I want to be able to EXPRESS theses feeling and be a ray of hope who is dealing with this and that you and I am not alone. I will be breaking this topic down in three parts. I hope you enjoy Part 1 of my blog post and vlog, and it give you hope to EXPRESS your authentic self.
What is Post Grad Depression?
Post Grad Depression (PGD) [ or Post Colleges Depression], what is this new-found depression? This is not a new depression that was discovered last week, but it is very common among recent undergraduates, masters and PHD students throughout the world. Out of all the things that have studied in college as an undergraduate to obtain my degree, this depression was something that I was never prepared to deal with at all. PGD is very different from clinical depression (which is major depressive disorder). PGD is a very low midlife crisis. There are many reasons as to why recent graduates like myself maybe going through this PGD. There are many signs and symptoms that each person maybe experiencing.
Signs, Symptoms and causes of Post Grad Depression?
Most symptoms for PGD is varies from person to person. Some may only experience one or two symptoms and other could experience everything that I have listed. Lastly someone could experience some symptoms that was not even listed and can be added and help others to identify. Here are five common symptoms of Post Grad Depression:
Addiction: the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity.
EXAMPLE: Addiction can be a serious thing if you don’t get ahold of it before it gets out of control. After college individuals, could become addicted to many things such as: drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, shopping, etc. to fill a void in their life. Addiction is a common symptom of the depression following college.
Confusion: the lack of understanding; uncertainty.
EXAMPLE: Confusion is another symptoms in the PGD life. Sometime after you cross that stage, got your diploma in the mail, you ask yourself “What do I do with my life now?” Should you crawl back home to your parents, guardian or relatives that turned your old room into storage or their person room of fun? Should you explore the dangerous world all on your own? What type of career should I have right now because Plan A, B and C didn’t work? What is your life purpose? You are confused and you are not alone.
Fear: a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the treat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.
EXAMPLE: Most people are afraid of taking the next step after finishing college. The next step involves finding a job, budgeting, making that transition into adulthood. Sometimes, we can be the thing that is holding us back to advancing after college. It should be fear of failing in the new chapter of life, moving, and most of all being too comfortable in the current state right now.
Loneliness: affected with, characterized by, or causing a depression feeling of being alone; lonesome.
EXAMPLE: It is very common to feel lonely straight out of college. Now it’s time to switch from college life to adulating. Majority of your friends have moved back home, moved to another state for that career job, getting married, etc., but you are stuck and alone. You don’t have your social support network around to back you up when you give them a call. True story. Sometimes we may have to face things alone, but knowing about this common symptom is very important.
Joblessness: noting or pertaining to persons without jobs, especially to those who are seeking employment.
EXAMPLE: The job hunt begins and you still haven’t found your dream career yet. Many college graduates that finish college do in fact get depressed because they cannot find a job in the major they got a degree in. This is a very common symptom. This is what we are told, if we go to college we will get a career job. The job market is very competitive; we didn’t learn that in college.
I can tell you right now I’m dealing with mostly everything that is listed. But some symptoms are stronger than others. What is listed above is really the general symptoms and the causes of PGD. When we do finally recognize the signs, I recommend seeking out help, if it from a friend, family member, pastoral or a professional license therapist. Like I have stated above, this may not be a clinical depression, but if you can catch it in time you can be able to learn how to overcome this low midlife crisis of PGD.
There are days that are good and other days you just feel like shit. It happened. Down below is a video vlog that I record about my own firsthand experience with PGD, how I recognized it in myself and how I’m understanding this depression. No judgment zone. To be truly honest with ourselves we need to be honest how we are feeling, and have the courage to seek help.
Thank you OneSelfers for reading this blog post. I hope that I’m helping others and encouraging you all to be true you your authentic self. Post-Grad Chronicles Part 2 will be coming soon. Until next time #Oneselfers.
ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND NOT A CLINICAL PHYSICIAN.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SEEING A PROFESSION HELP ABOUT DEPRESSION OF ANY KIND VISIT THE LINK DOWN BELOW.
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