CHICAGO -- Cree Medley, 24, struggled with depression and anxiety throughout her time in college. While she was a student at the University of Illinois Chicago, the struggles started in 2015 and came to a head in 2016 in a suicide attempt.
“After experiencing intimate partner violence, I also developed PTSD,” the Chicago resident said. “The resources on campus, once I was officially diagnosed, weren’t very plentiful. I tried making an appointment with our counseling center and had to wait weeks for an appointment. Once I did receive an appointment, I didn’t receive counseling but instead received referrals to different psychiatrists and therapists. It took me several more months to finally get consistent professional help.”
Medley’s search for professional help in 2017 eventually led her to a regular therapist and psychiatrist, but she said it still took years of seeing both for her suicidal ideation, years of trying different medications and treatment options before finding something that worked for her to make her depression and anxiety manageable — which didn’t really happen until 2020, the year she graduated.
