Students across the country struggle with mental health in normal times, and considering the abnormality of the circumstances students are facing now it is no wonder that mental health for students is on a downward spiral. Struggles for students in the year 2020 range from dealing with the stress of going back to school during a pandemic, to being stuck in dorms doing online classes, to facing social isolation from peers and family members. Now more than ever it is important for students to focus on mental health, so here are the top five most worthwhile mental health tips for students!
Disclaimer: I am not a mental healthcare professional, and am not qualified to offer any official medical advice. These tips are based on personal experience and anecdotal evidence and should not be taken as legitimate medical advice under any circumstances. If you or someone you know is in crisis or in need of help, please visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org or call 800-273-8255.
1. Take advantage of services offered by your school.
Most colleges and universities offer free counseling to students through their university health services or counseling centers. Even if you're not sure you need a therapist, talking to a professional in a secure and private environment can be extremely helpful. Therapists and counselors can provide students with tools to deal with everyday stressors, give tips for improving social interactions, and help with overcoming depression, anxiety, addiction, and other frequently encountered student mental health problems. There's no shame in seeking out a therapist or counselor and I encourage all students to take advantage of the mental healthcare services that their schools offer!
2. Find your healthy school-life balance.
One of the hardest parts about school is finding a healthy balance between schoolwork and other life events. It's important for students to do well in school-that's what you're paying tuition for after all. This doesn't mean that you should spend all of your time studying though. It's important to balance spending time out in nature, seeing friends, and having fun with your focus on schoolwork. When you find the balance that works best for you, your grades will improve, your social life will flourish, and you will see an improvement in your mental health and general outlook.
3. Treat yourself with kindness.
One of the most important mental health tips I can offer is to be kind to yourself. This means taking actions to actively improve your lifestyle, refuting those negative self thoughts that have a tendency to creep in, and surrounding yourself with people who support you. If you put good in, you'll get good out so make sure that you eat well, get some exercise, try to think positively, and reject negativity whether it's coming from yourself or from someone else.
4. Sleep, sleep, sleep.
I can't stress this tip enough. If students aren't getting 7-9 hours of sleep a night, their mental health is one of the first things to suffer. Some nights it's fun to stay up until 3 am watching The Office on Netflix, but it's important that most nights are spent getting good quality sleep. Sleep deprivation can exacerbate existing mental health issues for students and can also make it difficult for students to keep up with assignments which can contribute to stress and anxiety. Do your best to get 7-9 hours of sleep most nights, and your mental health will thank you for it.
5. Talk about it.
Unfortunately, there exists a stigma around talking about mental health especially for young males in this country. This stigma can be detrimental to students facing mental health crises as they feel like they should deal with it themselves, or like they don't have anyone to talk to. The good news is that we have the power to erase that stigma and make conversations about mental health a normal part of our relationships with others. If you're struggling with your mental health, it can be extremely helpful to reach out to family and friends and have a conversation with them about what you're feeling. Or, if you see that one of your friends may be struggling, let them know that they have a safe space to discuss their feelings with you and that you're there for them. A little bit of trust and open and honest communication can go a long way in improving mental health for students. We're all in this together!
It's our job as students to reach out, be kind, and break the stigma surrounding mental health for our generation, and the generations of students that will follow in our footsteps. I hope these mental health tips are helpful to you and provide you with an improved outlook on your life as a student!