skipped my fall semester for mental health reasons, was this the right choice?

Hi everyone,

I study abroad, and this fall I decided not to take classes because my mental health was really low when the semester started. I felt like I couldn’t handle it, and honestly, I was struggling with loneliness since most of my friends are also abroad somewhere else.

The problem is, people at home are really criticizing me for this decision. They think I’m wasting time or being lazy, but I know deep down it was about protecting my mental health.

I’m wondering, has anyone else taken a semester off for their mental health? Did it help you in the long run? And how do you deal with people back home who just don’t understand?

Submitted September 14, 2025 at 02:35AM by Suitable_Can_617 https://ift.tt/NmLuSPy