Counseling Support

	Everyone who starts a new job, enters college or pursues a new and different field of study deals with anxiety at some point. As a person with LD, you may experience even more stress, due to your particular challenges and how they influence the way you handle the growing demands of your new professional, academic, and/or social life.

If you're feeling like the demands and pressures of college-level work are too difficult to handle, and it seems impossible to shed negative feelings of self-criticism, it's important that you talk with someone you trust who's qualified to help you. This person might be associated with the Disability Support Services (DSS) office, or the school's guidance or counseling office. You might also be able to approach your R.A. (Resident Advisor), a professor, or a college staff member.

If you're not sure where to turn, ask your parents or a close friend to help you find someone who knows enough about counseling resources to get you the help you need. Talking to a qualified professional with whom you feel comfortable can make all the difference in how you understand and approach everyday frustration, as well as the deeper emotional effects of having LD. Rather than handle the pressure alone, try finding someone you can talk to and trust.

A little stressed or depressed?

If you're experiencing one or more of the following for more than a week, you should tell someone you need support:

• Social withdrawal
• Loss of interest in academic pursuits
• Loss of appetite
• Excessive sleep, or difficulty falling and staying asleep
• Skipping classes, missing exams, or failing to turn in important assignments
• Abusing alcohol or other substances