Petition Letter
I am requesting an appeal to withdraw from a course after the deadline owing to a severe mental health crisis that I experienced during the Fall 2014 term, and continue to struggle with. Since August 2014, I have been living with acute anxiety and depression. Throughout this period, I have been receiving professional mental health services through a private counsellor, my family physician (Dr. Gary Viner), and a psychiatrist (Dr. Kathy Gillis) and psychiatric nurse.
When I decided to enrol at Queen's University to take the BIOL 102 course, I believed that taking an interesting and challenging course for interest would be beneficial to my recovery. Unfortunately, my condition worsened rather than improved. By October 2014, my anxiety had worsened to the point that I was experiencing crippling daily panic attacks. This exacerbated the symptoms of depression as well, with the result being that I was unable to attend to daily tasks beyond basic requirements. I was neither working nor able to work during this period, and did not have the capacity to keep up with my readings or assignments for BIOL 102. The extent of my condition was such that I engaged in deeply avoidant behaviour, including failing to submit several key assignments, and failing to attend the final exam in December 2014.
Due to the fact that I was unable to meet the requirements of the course due to a severe mental health crisis beyond my control, I am requesting that I be able to withdraw from the class. I am including a note from Dr. Gillis indicating that I have been under her care and have been unable to meet the requirements of the course as a result of my condition.
When I decided to enrol at Queen's University to take the BIOL 102 course, I believed that taking an interesting and challenging course for interest would be beneficial to my recovery. Unfortunately, my condition worsened rather than improved. By October 2014, my anxiety had worsened to the point that I was experiencing crippling daily panic attacks. This exacerbated the symptoms of depression as well, with the result being that I was unable to attend to daily tasks beyond basic requirements. I was neither working nor able to work during this period, and did not have the capacity to keep up with my readings or assignments for BIOL 102. The extent of my condition was such that I engaged in deeply avoidant behaviour, including failing to submit several key assignments, and failing to attend the final exam in December 2014.
Due to the fact that I was unable to meet the requirements of the course due to a severe mental health crisis beyond my control, I am requesting that I be able to withdraw from the class. I am including a note from Dr. Gillis indicating that I have been under her care and have been unable to meet the requirements of the course as a result of my condition.