Being a college student requires going through stressful days, or weeks while trying to maintain good grades to guarantee a better future, which can be a lot.
As the Psychologist, Dr. Jeff Lanfear once said: "Maintaining one’s health, both mental health and physical health, is important for academic and personal success. For some students, getting the care and resources they need may be life-saving.” Thus, keeping good mental health is crucial to living towards building a successful life, and having awareness is half the process of doing that.
During the 2020–2021 school year, more than 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem, which is drastically a high percentage. Those mental illnesses range from stress, anxiety, sleep difficulties, and depression.
Students, most of the time face those illnesses because they are not used to being in a college environment where deadlines are always approaching and responsibilities are overwhelming. However, that can be managed if a student creates a proper mindset to face stressful times, by understanding that it’s normal and manageable. Other pieces of advice from many psychologists were to visit the university counseling services and seek help if the situation was unbearable.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at EMU is dedicated to addressing the mental health needs of Eastern Michigan University students. Our staff provides free, confidential counseling. If you feel like you could use that help then go for it, it’s free! While I would suggest trying to start time managing, working out, and spending time with yourself. What I mean by spending time with yourself is to allow yourself to relax and do things that make you feel better like listening to music, painting, or reading. Like escaping from reality for a small amount of time to give your brain space to rewire and rest, making it ready to face those difficulties again.
To conclude, understanding and being aware of how your brain and body function is a crucial part of facing mental illnesses.
