Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: I am appealing to request credit standing for the courses ECON 255 and PSYC 215, taken during the Winter term of 2016.

I am appealing because of personal psychological problems during the 2015-2016 School Year. My extenuating circumstances, anxiety and depression related issues, began during the Winter Term of 2015, became progressively worse until reading week of the Winter 2016 Term, and continued with additional symptoms from reading week to the end of the Winter 2016 Term. Through the year I tried many ways to overcome my anxiety and depression, eating as healthy as possible, working out most days of the week and maintaining a strict sleep schedule. The anxiety still developed to be progressively worse, to the point where I was unable to partake in any social situations, finding sitting in class to be an anxiety ridden experience. Initially I did well in both ECON 255 and PSYC 215, holding an A grade through the midterm examination in ECON, before starting on the antidepressant Cipralex. In addition, throughout the term I was unable to take my regular attention deficit disorder medicine as it caused great anxiety. The anxiety I experienced had the effect of me being unable to hold a consistent train of thought. At times I could not form sentences, think through any sort of multi-step problem without losing my place multiple times, or have a meaningful conversation, school related or otherwise, with anybody I knew prior or had recently met. This hindered my ability to complete work in PSYC 215 in the tutorial as I could not concentrate long enough to take part in group conversation and could just barely work through the assignments given. When asking for guidance from the tutorial leaders, although they tried to help, whatever information they gave would not be retained enough to be understood because of my mind being unable to stop thinking in an overly alert anxious state, resulting in a complete inability to focus. As this issue had been progressively getting worse since the beginning of the Fall 2015 term I decided to try medication when I had gone home for the 2016 reading week.

As mentioned the medication I took was Cipralex, which aided in my anxiety but worsened my depression, where even with healthy eating and working out most days I could not find energy or motivation. The associated symptoms caused me to be unable to consistently complete work and to miss many classes as I would spend days in bed, unable to speak to anyone or concentrate on my studies. In ECON I would start assignments we were given after reading week and stare at the book being unable to put information together, and in the days leading up to the due date I might be able to learn some of the information, but I could not get myself to the point of finishing the actual assignment. This was not an issue of an inability to work through the material where a tutor or similar support tool might aid my learning, this was an issue where I physically could not focus or retain the information. As for PSYC, I was not able to retain information in lecture to my best ability because of the anxiety of being in such a large group. I experienced similar anxiety when trying to study in the library. These problems also led to me seeking final exam accommodations so that I did not write in an open crowded space. In addition Cipralex caused me to experience symptoms of exhaustion, which would get in the way of being able to study. Some days after morning classes and a light workout, I would start falling asleep doing any activity not requiring constant movement or which was not extremely stimulating, causing me to go back to my house and sleep until the night. I would then wake up in the evening, go and study for a couple hours, and get tired enough to go back to sleep until 7 the next morning. I would not have many high functioning hours in the day in which to accomplish work, which compounded with my already present anxiety and memory retention problems.

This affected me for the remainder of the term continuing when I began taking Strattera, an ADHD medication that is not a stimulant, as stimulants heightened my anxiety. Through first the Cipralex eventually bringing down my anxiety to a manageable level I was able to get to a point where I could be in somewhat control of my day to day life, without anxiety ruling over that is. Through this and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) I have made strides since the end of the term, with stress being less without schoolwork it has been easier to take it day to day and I feel as though I am moving towards a comfortable place and being ready to return in the Fall term. I have lightened my course load again and moved to a different house without housemates in order to have a place I can go to where I might feel comfortable if my anxiety starts up at times. My plan is to continue on CBT, working out, and healthy eating. My academic goals for the next year are to get my GPA raised and get my academic career back on track as through the last three terms, since my problems have started, it has fallen to below 3.3 (3.18).

Thank you for your consideration,

Alex Wyatt

Also: the attached letter written by Dr. Hutchinson was given to Professor Haglund originally, one of my political science professors, in the issue of two political science courses during the Fall 2015 term.