Weapon Alternatives to Guns?

Hey there! I'm a semi-broke college student who's pretty new to prepping but I understand that weapons are a pretty essential thing to have in the event that SHTF. The problem is I've been hospitalized for self-harm twice in the past and I'm not sure I can get a gun. I live in the suburbs of a decent sized city in the US and know I really need to protect myself if it comes to that, so I'm just wondering what my options are. Thanks in advance!

Edit: Wow, thank you all for your suggestions! I really appreciate it and just wanted to mention that I am currently seeking mental health help for the future; I'll definitely look into some self defense classes as well. I'll also research all of these alternatives and try and find one that works for me, thank you all so much again!