World Mental Health Day- Help on Campus

World Mental Health Day- Help on Campus Today on October 10th, we acknowledge World Mental Health Day. It is acutely important to have conversations within your circle surrounding mental health. Diagnoses such as depression and anxiety can leave one feeling isolated. Struggling with unrecognizable internal thoughts and the feeling of the world's weight can leave someone with a lump in their throat. It might feel like saying your thoughts out loud will give them validity or scare others around you. However, you will find that after opening up about your internal struggles, others have most likely already noticed a change in you. More people struggle with mental health than you may believe. We attend college in a world where we're expected to travel at the speed of light. We’re always working on a huge project, involved in a sport, creating the most fun plans for our friends, guilt from not talking to family recently, etc. It can feel impossible to stop for a second and check in with yourself. During the grind of daily life, where we owe so many people our time and energy, it’s important to ask yourself what YOU need. Taking the first step toward growth can feel the scariest. It feels like when your room is a mess and you can’t decide the first thing to pick up.

I reached out to Kazi McDowell, director of counseling services, to address some questions that may be holding students back from receiving help.

Q: What’s the easiest first step to take? Sometimes the first step feels scary and vulnerable.

A: We use SetMore, it’s an online scheduling app. Students are able to schedule an appointment, with a provider of their choice and find a time that works for them. They don’t have to talk to anyone to set up the appointment. We are located in the Health and Wellness Center, there are always people coming in, so nobody know why someone might be coming in. That reduces stigma, it’s not just a “mental health building”. Our counseling staff has over 30+ years of experience, we want to help.

Q: How can students connect with the right resources to care for their mental health?

A: Campus resources are free and unlimited to enrolled students. That’s always a great place to start. We can also help the student find services off campus or in their hometown, if that’s what they prefer. Counseling Services can also help connect students with other resources on and off campus. We are happy to answer questions and problem solve. There’s no commitment requirement for scheduling an appointment, it’s your choice if you come back. Let us help you so you can be the best you.

Q: What are the key signs?

A: Key signs of mental health challenges usually starts with changes to routines, behaviors and mood. Most students seek help when they notice they aren’t eating, sleeping or performing to their expectations, both in the classroom or in their sport. These changes are usually easy for others to recognize, but might take some time before the person recognizes them. Sleep and appetite changes are the easiest to identify and the easiest to seek help for.

Q: What are some real-life solutions that go beyond talking to a friend and getting sunshine?

A: Get help. There should be no stigma attached to getting help. We don’t think twice about seeing a doctor for a broken leg, we shouldn’t hesitate when we think our mental health is poor. Help doesn’t always have to be medication, counseling goes a long way in providing interventions and allowing people to process emotions. But some simple things to try first can be focusing on healthy routines, getting enough sleep, eating enough, making time for hobbies/down time and self-care. Exercise has been researched extensively and has been proven to be an effective intervention for depression and anxiety. A walk, run, workout, yoga, a swim…. All of those can be helpful and results can be noticed quickly. Research tells us that 20 minutes a day of exercise or self-care activities can have a positive effect on depression and anxiety.

Free mental health services from a professional are not found on every college campus. Take advantage of this unique opportunity. The mental health services on campus range from help with time management and stress to trauma. They can also help you find a provider in your hometown. If you have been wanting to take the leap, do it now! If you notice mental health distress in a friend, encourage them to go! Offer to walk there with them and get a treat after.

Some students have challenging coursework, or managing home life and school isn’t easy. Maybe the church was your therapist growing up. For those that just need a comforting place to retreat, I reached out to Nancy McCormick, campus minister. I asked for her advice on World Mental Health Day and where we can find her. She replied:

Advice: Don’t suffer alone! Always find a reliable person to talk out your anxieties. Sometimes many of us, just need someone listen to our hurting hearts. Sometimes we need a safe place to cry – and not be judged. We all need to know that we hold a unique place in this life, that there is something we are uniquely called to do and be! Come by and see me at my homey and sometimes very messy office. I am in the Quaker Heritage Center attached to the Quaker meetinghouse. My office is the one with all the windows, which makes it a comforting and hope filled space. If you need an appointment, txt me at 937-728-0095 or just drop by