Overworked, overstressed, overwhelmed

The first thing that struck me about the description of your life is how little time or opportunity you have to restore your energy through adequate sleep and free time. No wonder you're feeling overwhelmed and depleted - you're running on empty. Such a stressful schedule can cause physical and psychological burnout and leave you feeling overwhelmed or depressed.

One of the first things I'd recommend is to get more sleep. If you don't get to bed until say 3am and are up by 7 or 8am to get back to studying, you're probably only getting four or five hours of sleep a night. Most people need much more than that to function effectively. Sleep deprivation will increase irritability and mood disturbance and interfere with one's ability to think clearly. (Poor eating habits during stressful periods can also contribute to physical and emotional exhaustion.)

It also seems that at the moment you have few sources of recreation or pleasure in your life. Try to make time for some pleasurable and relaxing activity every day... even if it's only 15 minutes of luxuriating in a hot bath. We may believe such activities are 'unproductive' but it's actually those very experiences that restore us. There's a reason we call some things 'recreation' - they re-create us.

Seek out help at your university. They should be aware of the pressures you are facing. So approach a senior person you feel comfortable with (there may even be counsellor available) and talk through your worries about work and money. Since your mother is obviously worried about you, talk to her as well and give her the opportunity to support you in whatever way she can, whether emotional or financial. It's important that you find the help you need to make any necessary changes in to lifestyle. For example, perhaps you could cut back on the number of hours you're working. Good luck.

Are you a stressed out student? Talk to others who know how you feel on our Student Support message board, or take a look at the LIVE discussions happening there now: