Anxiety and depression shouldn’t stop you from graduating, Merced College grad says

A Merced College graduate said she nearly quit school many times because she faced anxiety and depression, but she figured out the best way to beat it was to talk about it.

Suleima Delacruz is set to walk the commencement stage at Merced College, with three two-year degrees, during the school’s 54th annual ceremony on Friday.

There was a time the 24-year-old didn’t think she’d make it.

The first in her family to go to college, the daughter of immigrants said she fell behind while attending Turlock High School. She had to switch to an independent-study program to catch up.

“I didn’t like school at all,” she said. “I took a year off because my parents were separating. I had depression and anxiety.”

School always was a challenge in a household where English was less common, neither parent got further than the fifth grade and they worked long hours in the fields. But, she knew she had to go back to school to get a better job.

Two years ago, her anxiety and depression returned, but, this time, a professor told her she could get help on campus. Merced College offers personal counseling and academic help, like tutoring and special accommodations.

The key was asking for help, she said.

“Anxiety and depression shouldn’t be something to be embarrassed or afraid of,” she said. “It’s OK for people going through it to talk about it without fear of judgment. ... And just because it’s not an everyday topic it doesn’t mean it’s not important.”

Asking for help is the first hurdle for many people suffering from mental health issues, according to Sharon Jones, coordinator and ethnic services manager for the Merced County Department of Mental Health.

Anxiety is the most common mental disorder in the country, followed by depression, she said. “If untreated, they definitely can can cause what we call ‘functional impairment,’ the ability to perform daily activities, ” she said. “It’s common for people not to seek out help, because they don’t realize really what’s going on with them.”

Not many people understand that their mental health is treatable, she said. They might also be afraid of what others will think of them if they admit to having a disorder.

On college campuses, depression and anxiety are “very common,” though campuswide statistics are not kept, according to Michael McCandless, Merced College vice president of Student Services.

The college offers services and educational efforts for an array of mental health disorders and other counseling, he said.

Delacruz said she now has her eyes set on a master’s in psychology at California State University, Stanislaus. Her best advice for students is to keep chipping away at a degree, and to ask for help if needed.

“Just don’t’ give up,” she said. “Keep going.”

Merced College is set to award more than 1,640 degrees and certificates at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Stadium ‘76/Don Odishoo Field.

This story was originally published May 26, 2017 at 6:40 AM with the headline "Anxiety and depression shouldn’t stop you from graduating, Merced College grad says."