Maintaining Your Mental Health in College
Ah, college: the time of independence, freedom, new friends, sports, academics.... stress, pressure, anxiety, homesickness, and other mental health challenges. College, while often a wonderful time, can also be a tough transition and overwhelming adjustment for some people, and that is entirely normal.
Expectations are high, many things are new, and while you may have been ready to leave your family and high school friends behind, the ways you’ve felt their absence have probably surprised you.
This is why it is so essential to make time and effort to take care of your mental health in college, during such a critical stage of your life. A nationwide study found that during the 2020-2021 school year, about 60% of college students met the diagnostic criteria for at least one mental health problem.
Whether you take advantage of campus resources or continue your routine mental health treatment at college, being proactive about your mental health is necessary to thrive academically, emotionally, and socially in a university setting. If you want to add “take care of my mental health” to your college prep list, reach out to see how a professional can help you with the transition to college.
Before you begin, remember that our professionals are always here to help
Psych 101
As expected, mental health hygiene is not at the forefront of most college students’ brains. However, making mental health a priority amongst academics, socializing, and all the other “fun” parts of college can help make the experience even better.
As if being 18 was not hard enough, for many 18-year-olds, the transition to pursuing higher education (and often paying a lot for it) can be extremely stressful and can feel like a lot of pressure.
When you mix mental distress, daily stressors, and peer pressure, you can be left with anxiety, depression, substance use issues, or other diagnoses. Often, college students will use alcohol or drugs to cope with their copious stressors. This cycle is a major reason why the prevalence of mental health issues is significantly higher in college students than in other peers of the same age in different environments.
The typical college-aged student (ages 18-22) is often dealing with risk factors, developmental milestones, and hormones that can leave them more vulnerable to experimenting with risky behavior and experiencing mental health issues. This is why having a game plan to juggle your mental health in the busy life of a college student is crucial to supporting a healthy and full experience.
University Blues
So, what can you do to prepare yourself or your child to thrive in all aspects of the college experience? We will outline some useful tips and tricks for navigating this experience to make college more enjoyable and less stressful, and overwhelming.
Identify your resources.
Most universities provide access to a variety of mental health services ranging from therapy, groups, and/or medication management. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the resources your university offers so you can utilize them. This is often a good option for underclassmen who don’t have a car on campus. These services are often already incorporated in room/board/tuition, so it is a no-brainer!
2. Stay connected.
Though college is a time of independence and new beginnings, staying in touch with friends and family back home can be very comforting and grounding. Being able to reach out to people you love and trust can be very useful to be able to connect with and be able to honestly speak about your mental health and get support from a distance. With a rise in telehealth, you may also be able to continue seeing your provider from home virtually while away at college.
3. Practice mindfulness & me-time.
College can be very fast-paced, especially when you consider juggling academics, a social life, and extracurriculars. When you are sharing a dorm room with others, it could be even more challenging to find that time to be alone and be fully present and reflective. Mindfulness is a proven technique to help reduce mental health symptoms, so finding a time and/or place where you can find peace and be present is important to stay in touch with how you’re feeling.
4. Plan it.
Prioritizing is crucial in college to help keep you accountable and on track for success. This is why planning is essential to decrease stress, stay organized and also carve out time for taking care of yourself and your mental health.
Believe it or not, pulling all-nighters or being constantly on the go is not great for your mental health, so this is key for making the most of your time.
5. Don’t compare.
“Comparison is the thief of joy,” and that is 100% true. In college, everyone is on different paths and doing different things. Though FOMO is very real, you need to do what is best for YOU. I promise+++ the world won’t end if you skip one party to stay in and relax. You know yourself best, so only you can make the best choice for yourself and your mental health.
College should be a great experience. To make the most of it, making sure you take care of your mental health to keep anxiety, stress, depression, and other common mental health issues away is crucial. Get in touch with someone to help you figure out how you can best take care of your mental health during some of the best years of your life.
