Mental Health

How to be a PAL… even if you’re not a PAL volunteer!

| Michaela Martin

The Buckeye Peer Access Line (PAL) is a non-crisis peer-to-peer support line that provides space for students to engage in brief phone conversations in order to gain support and learn about campus resources. Common conversation topics range from adjusting to college and university life, balancing stress management, feeling pressure to succeed, navigating social identities and much more.

Buckeye PAL was created FOR students BY students to further establish a “culture of care”.

The co-founders of Buckeye PAL, Emily Kearney and Carmen Greiner wanted to make sure that all Buckeyes feel supported and cared for through establishing a “Culture of Care” at the University.

One way you can support your peers is by being a PAL for your friends and fellow Buckeyes.

Here are 3 tips for how to be a PAL… even if you’re not a PAL volunteer.

P – Pay attention to your friend’s behavioral changes. Take time to notice how they may be acting different. Do they seem to be a little more irritable than normal? Have they suddenly stopped doing many of the activities that they once enjoyed? Are they talking less? Sleeping more? Do they constantly seem to be overwhelmed?

A – Ask open-ended questions. After you notice any behavioral changes with your friends, it is important to ask open-ended questions. Be mindful of not placing any judgement or making any assumptions by asking leading questions. Here is an example below:

Open-ended: What have you done to take care of yourself lately?

Leading:  Don’t you think you should be getting better sleep?

L- Listen to understand rather than listening to respond. Oftentimes, we can get so focused on trying to offer advice to a friend or immediately “fix” a problem that we don’t actually listen to our friends in a way that makes them feel heard. A good way to make your friend feel heard is by offering a brief summary of what you heard or understood your friend say.

You will be amazed at how these 3 simple tips can make a difference on the sustainability and well-being of your friendships! For further tips, you can check out this article from Ohio State Insights.

Taking Steps Toward Change 

| Michaela Martin

We are all experiencing a time of unease, uncertainty and unfamiliarity in our routines.  While this time can bring a sense of worry, it can also offer an opportunity for us to develop and enhance our personal wellbeing.  You can do this by following these steps outlined below as you reflect upon what brings happiness, meaning or purpose to your life.   

  1. Define what is meaningful to you, brings you happiness or provides purpose by naming one or two practices that you want to weave into your life.  Some examples may include cultivating meaningful relationships, serving others, discovering inner peace and joy, or simply focusing on personal wellbeing.   
  2. Choose one of these practices and envision how you can bring one to action.   
  3. Identify any obstacles that may hinder you from fulfilling your vision.    
  4.  Describe the reason you have made this practice a priority and outline how you will overcome a potential obstacle.   
  5. Determine what success looks like to you and set check-ins to help monitor your progress.  Always remember to be kind with yourself and demonstrate self-compassion if you need to re-imagine your path. 

Naturally, there are many ways to add happiness, meaning or purpose to your life and we just wanted to share one with you today.  We would love for you to share your journey during these unprecedented times. Please send us your insights and experiences to us @osuwellness.  Never  hesitate to reach out to us at wellness@osu.edu if you need support, guidance and recommendations.  Please know that you are not alone. 

Resources 

We are Here for You 

Student Life Student Wellness Center 

Greater Good in Action 

Self-care for the College Student

| Michaela Martin

It’s okay to feel. We are living in a very new reality than what we are used to. We love the graphic below with simple but well needed reminders.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuSSrmthNfa/?igshid=9n5vplmqz34p

It’s important to take care of yourself always, but now more than ever while we are social distancing for the health of ourselves and others. But what does it really mean to “self-care” when you’re in college and resources are limited? Self-care doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive. Below are realistic self-care tips for college students

Self-care is:

  • Making decisions
  • Setting boundaries
  • Saying no
  • Forgiving yourself and others
  • Engaging in positive self-talk
  • Getting the things, you need to do done

We’ve made “Self-Care Bingo” for you? Can you achieve bingo or even cross off the entire board? Share with us on social media (@osuwellness) how you self-care!

The Struggle Is Real: Time Management and COVID-19

| Michaela Martin

Navigating online classes, living with parents/guardians, overwhelming news stories and the uncertainty of when all this will end can have you feeling totally off balance. Not having it all together during a pandemic is okay and to be expected. Focusing on what you can control, having a toolkit of stress relieving strategies, and allowing yourself time to take a break and rest will boost your overall wellbeing. 

One way to try to find balance in your current life is by proactively managing your time. We are in the home stretch of the semester but being thrust into a new environment it can be hard to find a new routine.  Following the tips below can help you finish the semester on top. 

  1. Create a schedule and stick to it. This includes a healthy sleep routine (go to bed and wake up at the same time and aim for 7-9 hours of sleep). 
  2. Make use of the “Do Not Disturb” feature on your devices. This allows you to focus in the present moment as trivial interruptions, whether self-imposed or caused by others, can add to stress. 
  3. Prioritize your task using the categories below. These categories have been proven to be helpful in managing time and reducing stress.  
    • Urgent and Important (things you couldn’t have foreseen, things left to last minute)– Crises, deadlines, meetings, exams 
    • Not urgent, but important (things that help you achieve your goals)– Preparation, planning, exercise, relationship-building, personal development opportunities 
    • Urgent, but not important (sometimes things that can prevent you from achieving your goals) – Minor interruptions, some emails, some phone calls, many popular activities (e.g. a football game) 
    • Not urgent and not important (distractions) – TV shows, social media, internet browsing, video games, busy work 

4. Talk to a Wellness Coach! The Student Wellness Center offers free wellness coaching sessions, currently available via zoom. Learn more about wellness coaching by watching the video below.

Comfort and Compassion During COVID-19

| Michaela Martin

Written by Janele Bayless, LPC, RDN | Wellness Coordinator for Nutrition Education

It’s been over two weeks since the country came to a collective halt in response to COVID-19. As you’ve transitioned to living mostly indoors, perhaps you’ve re-established a sense of routine and are attempting to maintain good health practices.

If you’ve stayed glued to the news or social media, you’ve likely seen a slew of online resources and apps made available to help people take care of their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. While taking care of one’s health with nutritious foods and physical activity has its benefits, it can be just as important to practice self-care in the forms of comfort and compassion.

According to the book Mindless Eating: Why we eat more than we think, people are likely to eat comfort food when happy (86%), for reward or celebration (74%), bored (52%), or lonely or depressed (39%). Whatever the reason, it’s normal to crave comfort food for different experiences.

The Science of Why You Crave Comfort Food suggests that comfort foods remind us of our social ties and experiences, which may help us feel less alone and isolated when we have those foods. “I can think of no better time to eat comfort food than when you need comfort the most,” suggests Marci Evans, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Especially because “Food is more than nutrition – it’s joy, too,” according to the article Stress Eating These Days? Here’s Some Help.

If you’re feeling pressure to maintain your normal routine with food and physical activity as you would when there isn’t a pandemic, rest assured this unique time and transition won’t last forever. A few weeks of less-balanced eating won’t cause long-term health issues, so consider how you can integrate compassion for yourself and others.

Why compassion? It’s been shown to reduce feelings of anxiety, depression, and rumination, and increase psychological well-being and social connectedness. Compassion also fosters resilience during life’s challenges.

Want to become more compassionate? Consider the following ideas:

  • Gratitude. Reflect on things in your life that you can appreciate – big and small – to help bolster your awareness of what’s going well.
  • Journal. Writing can help put your thoughts and emotions into perspective, and potentially help you avoid ruminating unnecessarily about a situation.
  • Kindness. Consider what you would say to someone else for comfort, encouragement or support, and consider how you can demonstrate that to yourself.
  • Philanthropy. Helping others can take the focus off yourself or your situation, and simultaneously boost your self-esteem and well-being.

To learn more about compassion, check out the 20 Reasons Why Compassion is So Important in Psychology.

5 Self-Care Strategies While Social Distancing

| Michaela Martin

Written by Janele Bayless, LPC, RDN | Wellness Coordinator for Nutrition Education

Perhaps like millions of people in America, you find yourself spending more time inside with limited social interaction in response to the Coronavirus. Consider five self-care strategies for navigating through some of the ongoing changes and events.

Develop a New Normal

Most people do better with structure and routine, and without that people might feel unorganized and less motivated when tasks need to be accomplished. Establish a schedule for sleep and other activities (i.e. classes, studying, cooking, exercise, rest) to create a sense of normalcy, and use a planner or phone alarms for reminders.

Nourish Your Body

In addition to sleep, food is another necessity that our bodies need for energy, focus and concentration, improved mood, and to boost our immune system. Consider this post about Food Stability in a Season of Change. For students concerned about whether they’ll have enough food, Buckeye Food Alliance will continue to be open throughout spring semester for students to access food and personal care items.

Get Up and Move

While you might not have access to your usual gym, there are still plenty of activities you can do to move. Physical activity can help our overall health and well-being, such as improving mood, reducing stress and anxiety, increasing energy, boosting our immune system and self-esteem, and improving our quality of sleep. Consider these ideas in the coming weeks.

  • Virtual fitness classes are offered by Recsports through Zoom.
  • Get outdoors and go for a walk, jog, bike or hike at a local park, nearby trail or neighborhood.
  • Apps like Nike Training Club and Run Club, Couch to 5K, and Pokémon Go are available to guide you with activities for various forms of movement.
  • Wii Fit has games featuring yoga, strength training, aerobics and balance.
  • Wii Sport includes five sports including tennis, baseball, bowling, golf and boxing. While not as potentially intense, it can still provide an opportunity for movement and a boost of energy and excitement.
  • Just Dance is another fun video game that can be done in small groups or solo.
  • Workout DVD’s can provide another opportunity for exercising at home and often involve minimal, if any, equipment or space. Choose between aerobic videos (i.e. dance, kickboxing), strength training, yoga, pilates, and more.
  • Social media like Pinterest and Instagram have free workouts available.
  • YouTube offers free workout videos (i.e. Yoga by Adrienne, Orange Theory).
  • A total body workout can be done with simple exercises like sit-ups, push-ups, standing lunges or squats, wall sits, jumping jacks, burpees, and more.

Relax and Unwind

Stress is like a muscle that sometimes needs a break from continuous use. To unwind and relax, consider the following.

  • Take a break from social media and the news. More knowledge and information may lead to feeling overwhelmed, stressed and tired.
  • Stay connected with family and friends by connecting over a face-to-face virtual medium (i.e. FaceTime, Skype) or over the phone at least once per day.
  • Write in a journal and include 3 good things that went well for you. Additionally, you could write a gratitude letter and mail or email it to someone you’re grateful for.
  • Discover and engage in activities that are relaxing, comforting and enjoyable, such as reading a book, drinking a beverage (i.e. flavored/sparking water, tea), playing a game (i.e. video, phone), coloring, doing a craft, working on a puzzle (i.e. Sudoku, jigsaw, crossword), listening to music or a podcast, knitting or crocheting, making a collage, taking a shower or bath, lighting a candle, etc.

Mental Health Matters

It’s understandable if you’re feeling uneasy with the current and ongoing changes. Consider the following resources that can help with relaxation and stress relief.

  • Apps are available such as Headspace, Calm, Insight Timer, Wysa, and Virtual Hope Box.
  • Wellness Coaching is available for virtual meetings using CarmenZoom.
  • Buckeye Peer Access Line is a non-emergency talk line that provides a space for students to engage in brief phone conversations in order to gain support and learn about campus resources. Peer-to-peer assistance is available Monday thru Friday from 8 p.m. to midnight.
  • Student Life’s We Are Here For You page has additional resources for students.