Mental health support inspires graduate Aleksandra

Published On Mon 24 Jun 2019 by Grant Hill

A University of Dundee graduate who overcame significant and persistent mental health issues during her studies says the experiences are driving her ambition to become a doctor and help others in need of support.

Aleksandra Mergo (22) went straight into the second year of her course in 2016 and initially excelled during her time at Dundee. A traumatic experience during a summer visit to her native Poland sparked a series of depressive episodes, however, and she has battled with mental health problems throughout the final two years of her studies.

With support from the University’s Disability and Health Services teams, Aleksandra managed to get on top of her studies once more and graduated with a degree in Medical Sciences at the ceremony at Caird Hall on Friday 21 June. She says her experiences have left a profound mark on her and will help to make her a better and more compassionate healthcare professional.

“I struggled with a milder form of depression when I was a teen but during my second year here I started experiencing more serious depressive episodes,” said Aleksandra. “My friends told me about the University’s services but after making my initial approach I started to feel better and thought ‘I’ll be fine’ and didn’t pursue it any further.

“Shortly after, I had another episode and went to my GP but it kept getting worse so visited the University Health and Disability Services. It was through that that I met my advisor Jacquie Cameron and we would have meetings every few weeks. She would pick up on things like my anxiety and talk me through how I was feeling about exams.

“I was referred to a psychiatrist and finally diagnosed with recurring depressive disorder. I don’t want to make too much out of this because I know others have worse problems me but I think it’s important for people with mental health issues to be open and show how normal this is to try and get rid of the stigma.”

At her worst, Aleksandra was unable to leave her home but now looks forward to a brighter future and will begin a Medical degree at the University of Aberdeen later this year. She says the support she received at Dundee makes her more determined to qualify as a doctor and help others.

“In my first year at Dundee I hardly missed a class but after the summer I probably missed 50% of them,” she said. “There were days when I felt so bad I couldn’t force myself out of bed. I was struggling quite a bit with university and I thought my dream of pursuing a career in medicine would never come true because I wouldn’t get the required grades. Since I started getting help my life has definitely changed for the better.

“Jacquie was brilliant with me. Just being able to tell someone about how I was feeling helped and she taught me coping skills and helped me build confidence. On days when I was feeling low she would remind me of how I had felt when we first started meeting and that would show me how far I had come.

“The Disability Services team were great and helped me to make practical adjustments to deal with the anxiety I was experiencing around exams. I was very lucky that the University is positive about mental health and the teaching staff were very understanding, sensitive and discrete in how they dealt with my issues. I want others to know that help is available and there is hope even when they feel hopeless.

“I look back now and think that I could have done better at university if it wasn’t for my illness but I know I couldn’t have got through it at all without the help I received. My experiences have allowed me to view healthcare from a patient’s perspective and I want to be as kind and compassionate as those who helped me when the time comes and I work in the field.”

Aleksandra was one of around 3000 students who graduated with degrees, postgraduate diplomas and diplomas during last week's ceremonies. Her family travelled over from Poland to help Aleksandra celebrate her achievements.

Students experiencing difficulties with any aspect of their mental or physical health can self-refer themselves to the University’s Disability Services by emailing disability@dundee.ac.uk or calling 01382 385402.

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Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
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Mobile: 07854 953277
Email: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk