The Student Experience

The Autism Monster by Amanda Postman

Emily Gordon—not her real name—describes the multiple layers of advocacy required to get accommodations in her Master of Social Work program.

I always felt like having a learning disability was enough to deal with but to have a mental health issue on top of it was something I thought I could never get over. I blamed myself for what happened: maybe I should have known. I had recently started my Bachelor’s degree at Colby Sawyer College in New Hampshire. Things were a struggle there. I attended classes and had good grades, but wasn't fully myself. I was isolated, depressed, I just chalked it up to the stress of studies, exams, maybe I was pushing myself too hard. Unbeknownst to me, and all the stress beneath me, I was in the throes of psychosis. It was April of 2009 and I would end up in the hospital for a month.