Disclaimer: This article can be triggering to some who have suffered from mental health complications in the past. Reader discretion is advised.
In today’s day and age, it is not uncommon to hear that many individuals suffer from mental health complications that most likely go untreated. With the stress of schoolwork, grades, part time jobs, extracurriculars, social life, and family obligations, most college students tend to ignore the severity of their mental health. Despite my own university consistently advocating for mental health awareness, most students subconsciously fall into dangerous habits to try to cope with the stress of their daily lives. However, there are a few alternatives to becoming involved with these dangerous coping habits.
The first most widespread coping mechanism is drinking. No matter what university you attend, alcohol is relatively available. Despite students attending the occasional party to relax after a stressful week, most students abuse this justification and fall into patterns of toxic drinking in order to destress. Unfortunately, it is common that the use of alcohol for emotional stability leads to other substance abuse such as marijuana, cocaine, Adderall, and acid. Instead of turning to substances to unwind, students should get involved in something that they are truly passionate about. Personally, I have found more pleasure, and self-satisfaction in being active in the LGBTQ+ community at my university, than I get from going out.
Along with the use of toxic drinking, comes self-harm. Whether it is cutting, scratching, hitting, or burning, these tendencies are clearly self-destructive. After not only personally recovering from one of the actions above and also observing friends struggle with these tendencies, I learned that that split second of adrenaline and twisted sense of security can be found through not only artistic but also intellectual mediums.
Ever since I was 17, the thought of possibly getting a tattoo continuously ran through my mind. Once I finally received that initial sense of freedom, I decided to get not only one but two (with more planned). The idea of putting art onto my body has given me a sense of individuality, and the biggest adrenaline rush of my life. I wish this option would have been available when I needed it the most. Along with this idea, learning a foreign language has provided me with the security I needed. Without unfortunately having to experience self-harm, I am not sure I would have found my one true passion in life: communication and culture. With every word I learned, ASL hand gesture I memorized, and book I read, I began to discover the most authentic and stable version of who I truly am.
Body image. Oh, the dreaded topic. Body image concern and over analyzation has become one of the most obsessive habits amongst all ages of human beings. Whether it be as young as three years old to elderly years, human beings constantly compare themselves to others. Unfortunately, due to social constructs, all women have been plagued with ridiculous standards of what “acceptable” beauty is. This is not to say that men do not suffer from body image concerns, however, with the influence of another social construct of “masculinity,” “real men” should not be extremely concerned with their appearance nor fashion.
The bottom line is all human beings are different, and society has created the theories of what “fat” vs “skinny” and “beautiful” vs “ugly” are. At the end of the day, these concepts do not matter. We are all human, we are all beautiful, and we all matter. I have been able to incorporate this idea into my daily life by terminating my habit of comparisons. It does not matter how I look compared to other men because confidence and self-love are the most beautiful characteristics of any human being.
Even though the road to self-love and appreciation is not easy, it is important that we never give up. No matter how exhausted you feel, how ridiculous this advice may seem, and how frustrated you are, I promise that once you learn to embrace who you are, other aspects of your life will fall into place. I would not be writing this article if I did not learn how to embrace my own insecurities, and overcome my own self-destructive habits. No matter what, continue striving to be the best version of yourself you can be.
