Credit: askideas.com
As we all try to navigate this world that is filled with multiple different types of stressors, we need to take mental health more seriously than most of us do. We constantly battle the effects of human rights violations, wars and violence in the home, schools, and businesses. World Mental Health Day is a day dedicated to bringing the stigma of weakness that comes along with taking care of your mental health to an end. The World Federation for Mental Health said it perfectly, “Suicide and substance abuse numbers have been steadily rising, LGBTQ youth are feeling alone and persecuted for being true to themselves and young adults are at the age when serious mental illnesses can occur and yet they are taught little to nothing about mental illness and wellbeing.” (WFMH, 2018) We need to come together and bring awareness to this ongoing issue in today’s society.
According to The Tribune, some tips on how to care for your mental health during college are:
- Develop a support network. Form a group of close friends. Stay in contact with your family. Get to know your advisors and instructors. The more people you know at your college, the more connected you’ll feel.
- Be active. Exercise is important for your mental outlook and helps ward off depression. Take a break from your studies and get moving on a regular basis. Shoot for 2+ hours every week.
- Eat well. Choose a wide variety of healthy, nutritious foods. Eat regularly to keep up your energy. Limit all-you-can-eat cafeterias and late-night raids to get pizza. Do, however, consume enough food to feel and perform your best.
- Get enough sleep. Sleep is vital to your mental well-being. Go to bed at a reasonable hour. Wake up at roughly the same time every day. Keep your room dark and quiet at night.
- Avoid substance abuse. It’s easy to overdo when you’re a student. But excessive drug and alcohol use puts you in grave physical and mental danger. If you can’t get a grip on your actions, team up with someone who can.
- Seek professional help. You’re not alone. Lots of people can help. Talk to a trusted adult about your concerns. Or visit Student Services. Don’t rely on the advice of friends. Sometimes you need more.
To read more on this, go to: Tips for college students to maintain mental health | The Tribune & World Mental Health Day 2018 – World Federation for Mental Health