It’s Okay to Ask For Help

October 10 is World Mental Health Day, a day to spread awareness of mental health issues that individuals face across the globe and educate people on the efforts to support mental health. In particular, mental health across college campuses is being talked about more.

College depression is real among students. I recently read an article describing ways to improve your mental health and it turned me on to an interesting statistic: 1 in 3 college students struggles with mental illness.¹That’s a staggering amount of young adults, but the number can be through active treatment and resources.

There are Ways to Actively Improve Your Situation

The article went on to state facts about the kind of mental issues college students face and the actions educational institutions are taking to provide mental health resources. Overall, I would say the main driver was to not hesitate in asking for professional help. Your mind is absolutely crucial to functioning in this life and its wellness is of the upmost importance. With that being said, it’s necessary for you to reach out to those around you, find a peer group and start working through anything that is troubling you. Outside of group and professional help, there are steps that you can take on an individual basis to start making improvements.

Take Time For Yourself

Your mind is a muscle. Just like you take rest days from the gym, you need those moments for your mind. It’s is important to take a step back and make sure you allow time for yourself. Yes, even “scheduling” 30 minutes a day to clear your mind or talk with someone else is imperative for your overall health.

If you’re looking for ways to get started, here are some of my favorite self-care activities. I do these to take a breather whenever I am feeling stressed or anxious:

1. Go for a walk
2. Write your feelings down in a journal
3. Take a bath
4. Listen to relaxing music
5. Read a book
6. Unplug from technology for a bit
7. Dive into some retail therapy
8. Watch one of your favorite movies

I go into greater detail on a wider list of activities in this article here.

In Conclusion

Finding the right balance and creating healthy habits is challenging. If you’re currently a student and struggling with finding balance and keeping a healthy mind, remember there are professional resources out there that can help. I encourage checking out your college campus site for mental health resources. Lastly, keep in mind that you’re not alone and never hesitate to reach out.

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Stay Stylin’,

Lindsay

1. Hess, Abigail J. “Massive Survey Finds 1 in 3 College Freshmen Struggle with Mental Health-Here Are 4 Things You Can Do.” CNBC, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2018, www.cnbc.com/2018/10/04/4-ways-to-be-proactive-about-your-mental-health-in-college.html.