- #1
jaded_chimera
- 1
- 0
I have just found out that i have been accepted into a science degree and if i decide to go down that path will hopefully be majoring in physics. But i have some pretty huge obsticles in my way and i need some honest objective advice about whether my goal of becoming a physicist is realistic for someone in my position.
My biggest obsticle is the fact that i have a VERY severe mental illness that can put me into hospital for weeks at a time, but it is episodic so sometimes i will go for 6 months without any symptoms only to become completely incapacitated for the next 2. I've seen a beautiful mind and sometimes i think that if Nash can do it then so can i but the sad fact is that he was the exception rather than the rule and that most people with our diagnosis do not go on to be successful.
Another thing that concerns me is the fact that it's been 5 years since i was at high school and between then and now i haven't been able to study and have consequently forgotten most of what i once knew about maths and science. Is it possible to lose intelligence as a result of not using your brain vigorously enough? because i could swear that i am a lot dimmer than i once was.
The last major problem that i have been able to identify is that nobody in my life supports or even accepts what i want to do. My father even had the gall to tell me that physics is for boys and i should go into administration (i wanted to thump him but somehow managed to restrain myself). I know that self esteem is probably going to be critical in the outcome of this situation but its pretty hard to have faith in yourself when no-one else does.
All that said i want this more than anything that i have EVER wanted and am a very hard worker and motivation has never been an issue for me and (without wanting to gloat or anything) i am (or possibly once was) exceptionally intelligent. I just don't know if that will be enough to get me through though.
My biggest obsticle is the fact that i have a VERY severe mental illness that can put me into hospital for weeks at a time, but it is episodic so sometimes i will go for 6 months without any symptoms only to become completely incapacitated for the next 2. I've seen a beautiful mind and sometimes i think that if Nash can do it then so can i but the sad fact is that he was the exception rather than the rule and that most people with our diagnosis do not go on to be successful.
Another thing that concerns me is the fact that it's been 5 years since i was at high school and between then and now i haven't been able to study and have consequently forgotten most of what i once knew about maths and science. Is it possible to lose intelligence as a result of not using your brain vigorously enough? because i could swear that i am a lot dimmer than i once was.
The last major problem that i have been able to identify is that nobody in my life supports or even accepts what i want to do. My father even had the gall to tell me that physics is for boys and i should go into administration (i wanted to thump him but somehow managed to restrain myself). I know that self esteem is probably going to be critical in the outcome of this situation but its pretty hard to have faith in yourself when no-one else does.
All that said i want this more than anything that i have EVER wanted and am a very hard worker and motivation has never been an issue for me and (without wanting to gloat or anything) i am (or possibly once was) exceptionally intelligent. I just don't know if that will be enough to get me through though.