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Sustainability of mental health is very important, especially for those who are college students.

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Why should college students be concerned about sustaining good mental health?

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Why should college students be concerned about sustaining good mental health?

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As a college student, you are more susceptible to stress, anxiety and depression. Struggling with mental health issues can affect academic performance and overall enjoyment of life. According to a survey on Huffington Post, the following percentages of students reporting various factors as impacting their academic successes are depression at 12%, Stress at 27%, Anxiety at 19.7% and sleep at 19.4%, among other factors.

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Struggling with sustaining mental health is common among college students

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Struggling with sustaining mental health is common among college students

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College students are in a transitional period  where for most students they are independent for the first time. When transitioning into college, the first thought is not to focus on mental health although many students struggles with mental health from day one and throughout their college career. A Research conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness on mental health on college campuses shows that, " One in four students have a diagnosable illness" and " 40% do not seek help."

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Rachel Williams restarted her collegiate career in fall 2013, but that wasn't her decision.

As a freshman who had dealt with severe bulimia and anorexia in the past, Williams developed depression. While at Yale Health Urgent Care to get bandaged in January 2013 for cutting herself, a university psychiatrist came to speak with her.

Williams said she was explicit when she told the psychiatrist the cuts were not a suicide attempt. It was self-destructive behavior, she conceded, but it always made her feel "more in control." Still, Yale officials suggested she leave the university, at least temporarily, and get admitted to the hospital for immediate treatment, she said.

"I realized after a few minutes it wasn't a choice," Williams recalled to The Huffington Post. "I had officially lost my autonomy."

Authorities locked Williams inside the Yale-New Haven Hospital, and later transferred her to the Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital for a week. None of it was voluntary, she said. Days after Williams was released, she was told by the university she needed to go home to continue therapy, withdraw from college, and apply for readmission in the fall.

Williams returned in fall of 2013, and went public about her experience in a January 2014 column in the Yale Daily News.

Another Yale student, a current senior who asked to remain anonymous, said the university contacted her parents and strongly suggested she get treatment before her first day as a freshman. But even after getting treatment, the university told the student to take time off. Because Yale has a policy that students cannot start their education halfway through the year, that bumped her back from the class of 2014 to the class of 2015.

"Your immediate reaction is to be angry and extremely pissed off and embarrassed because you have to go through all this," the Yale senior said. "You realize as you go through Yale, this happens to lots of people, but it feels like it's just you, like you're the only fucked-up person."

Some of the same universities criticized by students who sought help for mental health -- like Yale, Northwestern University and Princeton University -- also signed up to work with the non-profit Jed Foundation to examine how they handle student mental health. Jed just announced that 55 colleges are examining their services, focusing on medical leave policies.

Yale spokesman Tom Conroy wouldn't talk about specific students' cases, but called involuntary leaves a "last resort," noting most are voluntary.

"An involuntary leave is only recommended when there is a very severe and unremitting problem that makes it impossible for a student to function," Conroy said. "An involuntary leave in this situation protects the student's academic standing rather than allowing him or her to fail. Thankfully, most students come back to successfully complete their Yale education."

John MacPhee, the head of the Jed Foundation, said the group would prefer not to see students get kicked out of college due to depression.

"We don't, and it's not our right to, know all of the facts of that particular circumstance, so it's hard to know whether it was handled the right way," MacPhee said. "Our view would be, if it is at all possible, to have the student stay on campus."

Removing a student from campus for "their own good" is controversial, and the stigma may prevent other depressed students from asking for help, some students say.

"People are afraid that they are going to send you to a psych hospital," said one Massachusetts Institute of Technology student, who requested anonymity because she is a sexual assault survivor who said she has struggled to get support at the school. "There's a campus climate of being worried about becoming the next one to disappear. You don't see anything wrong with someone and then all of a sudden they're gone."

One of the MIT student's sorority sisters said she landed in a psychiatric ward for a week after telling MIT counselors that home life stress was giving her a "strange sensation that I should hurt myself, but I'm not going to."

"They wouldn't let me go home," that MIT student said. "I was like, 'There is nothing wrong with me, let me go home now!'"

Colleges are paying close attention to their handling of these cases, said Kevin Kruger, president of the professional group NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Mental health is at the top of university administrator's minds, he said, as is sexual assault, since the two issues can go hand-in-hand.

Some students who complain about how sex assaults are handled also say on-campus mental health treatment is a big problem, like at Amherst College and Emerson College, both facing federal investigations into alleged failures that forced rape victims off campus.

Nearly every residential campus has a counseling center, or some office to provide services for students with mental health issues. Counseling centers grew in the late-1940s, with the influx of veterans heading off to college on the GI Bill. Since then, campus counselors have consistently reported more students using their services, and about half noted an increase in students with requesting help due to clinical depression, anxiety or sexual assault issues, though very few are adding staff to deal with the greater demand, according to the annual report released last month from the American College Counseling Association.

A lot of college leaders grew wary when a lawsuit from the family of an MIT student who committed suicide was allowed to proceed against four individual psychiatrists at the university, though it was settled out of court in 2006. The MIT suit alleged the school did not take the student's depression seriously. Another lawsuit around the same time against George Washington University said a student was wrongfully removed from campus because he was depressed.

Colleges are facing regulatory shifts as they try to determine how to treat students who may be a threat to themselves or others. In 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice altered the criteria needed under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act used to determine if a school can remove a student from campus for posing a "direct threat" to themselves or others. But since then, colleges ran into federal complaints and lawsuits from students who say they were involuntarily withdrawn from their university for mental health reasons, in violation of civil rights laws.

Schools are now stuck trying to prevent someone from committing suicide, adhering to Americans with Disabilities Act protections, and avoiding a federal complaint, Kruger said. And they're doing it without clear guidance from the Justice or Education departments, he added.

As it stands, "campuses have lost the ability to do something we think is really important: that is to make a decision on what is the best for the student," Kruger said. "Sometimes what's in the best interest of the student is them being home."

Lewis Bossing, senior staff attorney at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, said his organization regularly gets calls from students on the verge of being removed from campus. The Bazelon Center represents one student suing Princeton for allegedly making him withdraw following a suicide attempt.

Death at college can affect an entire campus. Prime examples include University of Pennsylvania students taking their own lives this year, a similar series of deaths at Cornell University in 2012 and the litany of shootings on campus. Part of the reason a university would remove a student is to prevent a risk to the broader community, because no university wants violence -- self-inflicted or otherwise, Bossing said.

"It is because they think that they may have exposure to liability, because certainly there have been instances where students engaged in acts of self harm including suicide," Bossing explained. "The fact of the matter is there are very few cases in which students with mental health issues actually engage in harmful conduct. In virtually all the cases -- 99 out of 100 cases where there may be that the student has done something or said something that raises concern -- very few cases that the student actually goes on to do something that does harm themselves or others."

MacPhee, of the Jed Foundation, said each involuntary medical leave should be determined on a case-by-case basis, but schools should make clear the circumstances that would cause them to ask a student to leave and the circumstances that would allow them back.

A case where a student is removed from campus today would likely involve some action on the part of the depressed student that disrupts the university, said Dr. Dan Jones, director of Counseling and Psychological Services Center at Appalachia State University in North Carolina.

"It's behavior that's occurred multiple times involving multiple people in multiple situations," Jones said. "It's not just somebody getting depressed and getting kicked out of school."

Some students who spoke with HuffPost were more offended by how their medical leave was implemented, than the leave itself. Moreover, they said they were angry that schools insisted on such a drastic step before the students could get access to treatment.

A month before Aubrey D. Blanche checked into a hospital to get treated for sexual assault-related post-traumatic stress, she tried to visit the Counseling and Psychological Services at Northwestern University, where she was attending school. Blanche said she was told the center was completely booked, unless she was suicidal. She later took voluntary medical leave from October 2011 to March 2012. When Blanche got back, she was required to meet with counselors from Counseling and Psychological Services.

"What I found frustrating was that only at the point I had already been hospitalized for a severe mental health issue did the university make resources available to me," said Blanche, a 2012 graduate.

Blanche said she feels her medical leave was in her best interest. But she also said she thinks more mental health services should have been available to her and other students at Northwestern.

But balancing emergency cases with those of students who want preventative services is difficult, Jones said.

"Most university budgets do not support all the resources and staffing that's needed to provide instant service for anybody that walks in," Jones said, calling it their "core dilemma."

"With students coming in greater numbers and more severity," Jones continued, "university mental health and counseling service centers are having a hard time keeping their head above water." In order to fix that, it's going to require more money.
This article was updated after publication with a comment from Yale University.

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Using College Mental Health Services Can Lead To Students Getting Removed From Campus

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Rachel Williams restarted her collegiate career in fall 2013, but that wasn't her decision. As a freshman who had dealt with severe bulimia and anorexia in the past, Williams developed depression. While at Yale Health Urgent Care to get bandaged in January 2013 for cutting herself, a university psychiatrist came to speak with her.

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In college years, some common areas that affect mental health sustainability is depression, eating disorders and anxiety.

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According to collegestats.org, "75% of students with depression do not seek help" and "44% of college students report having symptoms of depression". Depression is a common illness that can really interfere with your life and make it difficult to work, rest, and eat. Symptoms may include, Feelings of sadness or helplessness, loss of motivation, sleeplessness, Trouble concentrating, Change in appetite/weight, Loss of interest in social activities, Slowed thinking or speech and Thoughts of dying. To help a person who is experiencing depression, utilize the school’s mental health center and get evaluated.

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Anxiety affects people whether they are in college or not. Collegestats.org suggests, "80% of students report they feel stressed on a daily basis." The difference that causes anxiety to be a problem is when anxiety starts to interfere with your performance in your classes or interfere with being social with other people, then it may be time to seek help. Recognizing the signs is the first step to healing from any anxiety disorder. Everyone expresses anxiety differently but some symptoms might be being in constant fear, having frequent headaches, exhibiting shortness of breath, trouble concentrating, constantly feeling stressed or irritated. Reaching out to a friend or medical professional is the best way to combat anxiety.

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Eating disorders can commonly missed among college aged women and men. Collegestats.org discussed this, the article said, "Students from the age 12-25 represent 95% of those with eating disorders." individuals with eating disorders might be seen over exercising, eating too much or not enough or constantly concerned or having a fear of eating. Eating Disorders among the other mental health issues does not go away by itself and must be worked on with a mental health professional.

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Mental health issues are becoming more prevalent in the college setting, which is why it is important for students and concerned family members to be familiar with it.

At CollegeStats, we designed this guide to help you identify the signs and symptoms of common mental health issues for college students. If left untreated, these issues can surely escalate and become debilitating for students. With that said, this guide will guide you on where and when to seek help as well. If you feel that you might be battling some mental issues or know someone that might be, then it is important to take action now rather than later.

To give you a quick idea on the statistics of mental health issues that students face during their college years, the National Alliance on Mental Illness demonstrates that:

Mental health issues can take many forms. The popular ones include depression, anxiety, suicide, eating disorders, and addiction. While it may be difficult to come to terms with any illness, it's important to be aware and be familiar with the resources available whenever they are needed.

Depression

What is depression?

Students will likely experience some sort of mild depression at the very least some time during their college years, which can be normal. However, it's crucial to know when you or someone might be going overboard and need medical help. Basically, depression is a type of brain disorder that is likely caused by a combination of genetics, environmental, biological, and psychological factors. More students than ever have been going in to see the doctors to get treated for depression today.

Why is depression dangerous and something to take seriously?

While it is a common illness that often makes you feel helpless and despondent, it can really interfere with your life and make it difficult to work, rest, and eat. When it starts to affect your way of living, then it's time to consider taking action to remediating the illness.

If left untreated, it can lead to other more severe symptoms and/or suicide.

What are the common symptoms of depression?

Everyone is different, so the symptoms may vary from person to person. How someone deals with depression will also differ greatly. If you're wondering whether you or someone you know is suffering from depression, please consider the following symptoms on a general scale:

Feelings of sadness or helplessness

Fatigue, loss of motivation

Sleeplesness

Trouble concentrating

Change in appetite/weight

Loss of intrest in social activities

Slowed thinking or speech

Thoughts of dying

Of course, we all have our good and bad days, and it's completely normal to feel one or some of these emotions every now and then. For example, if you're new to college and just moved away from home, you might feel an increased level of sadness, or might also have a hard time concentrating because you're thinking about your family. It can be pretty stressful being away from home and having to adjust to a new lifestyle. Keeping these emotions in check and communicating frequently with those you trust about your feelings is the right way to adjust and be healthy. People can always see things more clearly when they aren't dealing with it directly themselves, so you may be able to get valuable advice from a trustworthy family member or friend.

However, if you feel that you might be feeling one or more of these on a regular basis, then you may want to check into your school's mental health center and get evaluated. A health care professional will be able to assess and better help you determine what medications you need to take to improve, if any at all, or give more specific advice catered to your symptoms. Many people fail to get checked out because they are in denial or feel embarrassed to do so, but it's always better to be safe than sorry. In this case, it's also better to get treated while the symptoms are fresh, rather than wait until it's too late. Everyone has their own insecurities, and this shouldn't be one of them.

How Do I Know If I'm Depressed?

Again, symptoms are going to vary greatly from person to person, but here are some questions to consider asking yourself:

Does your family have a history of depression?

Depression can be genetic, so if you do have history and are feeling some of the symptoms mentioned above on a severe level, then it may be worthwhile to check into a doctor's office to get evaluated.

Do you often experience extreme sadness or hopelessness?

Despondence every now and then is completely normal, but if you find that these feelings are overbearing and potentially affecting your day-to-day life, it's time to seek help.

Have you been resorting to alcohol and drugs to alleviate any negative feelings?

Unfortunately, alcohol and drugs are both not great escapes to relieving any pain or discomfort in feelings. They may be a temporary solution, but that's about it. They may be a temporary solution, but that's about it. Spare yourself possible lung cancer and liver damage by getting the proper medications that you need to fight depression as early as possible.

Do you often think about commiting suicide?

Similar to alcohol and drugs, suicide is never the answer. Even though it may seem like people are busy living their lives, you'd be surprised at how people will stop to talk if they see you open up and needing help. So, don't ever hesitate to reach out to someone trustworthy to share your feelings with. That person can help guide you to the right people to get help before it's too late. Life is not easy feat for anyone, and if you don't feel comfortable opening up to a friend or family member, there are always counselors on campus that you can turn to confidentially.

Additional Resources: Depression

Anxiety

Nobody said college was easy -- in fact, there will be many moments in which students find themselves feeling anxious, whether it be over meeting new people or preparing for an exam. College is also a time when people are still learning more about themselves and growing at a rapid pace. With so much going on, it's completely normal to get anxious. I mean, who wouldn't get anxious over having to juggle many assignments, take rigorous exams, meet new people, and take on a part-time job? Don't feel bad if you feel anxious, because chances are, many other students are in the same boat.

While a certain degree of anxiety is acceptable, it's important to know when it's going overboard. Similar to depression, anxiety can easily escalate into something more harmful. With that said, students who feel that their anxiety is affecting their quality of living should most definitely consult a mental health specialist or counselor to determine the type of anxiety they have and figure out the best solutions to overcome it before it's too late.

According to Anxiety and Depression Association of America,

What types of anxiety are there?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Outrageous thoughts, obsessions, or fears that result in repetitive behaviors

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Constant anxiety over anything and everything that interferes with day-to-day life

Panic disorder
- Sudden attacks of terror or panic that disturb quality of living

Social anxiety disorder (SAD)
- Everyday interactions cause you to tense up or feel overly self-conscious or embarrassed

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Occurs when something traumatic in life happens or if you witness something scary (i.e. a horrible car accident)

What are the symptoms of anxiety?

It's hard to pinpoint specific symptoms for everyone, because everyone has their own way of showing anxiety (and subsequently, suppressing it as well), and dealing with it. However, on a general scale, here are some things to look into if you think you or someone you know may be experiencing anxiety requiring medical help:

Being in constant fear

Having frequent headaches

Exhibiting shortness of breath

Trouble concentrating

Constantly feeling stressed or irritated

Often sweating or feeling dizzy

Irregular heartbeat

Muscle pain or tension

Frequent diarrhea

Getting stomach aches a lot

Again, these symptoms are normal to a degree and experienced by people in and outside of school. However, if you feel that it may be interfering with your performance in your classes or interacting with people, then it may be time to seek help. Recognizing the signs is the first step to healing from any anxiety disorder. It's important to note that occasional feelings of anxiety do not automatically indicate that you have an illness. If these feelings of anxiety persist, however, then it won't be a bad idea to reach out for some help.

How do I know if I Have an Anxiety Disorder?

Having anxiety during test periods or big social settings is normal for most. If you feel that you might be abnormal for whatever reason, then it's time to do some research and possibly reach out for help. Regardless of what you do, never blame yourself or others for having anxiety because it is completely faultless. Rather, it is an illness that can be fixed with medical attention. Some questions to ask yourself if you're trying to find out whether you have an anxiety disorder is:

Is it interfering with your perfoormance in school significantly?

Is it affecting how you interact with other peers, your friends, and your family?

Do you often fear social gatherings

Do you find yourself being constantly worried over just about anything and everything on a daily basis?

Do you have fears that others find weird or irrational?

If the answer is yes to one or more of these, it may be worthwhile to err on the safe side and seek medical attention. By seeing a mental health professional, you can get personalized guidance on how to heal properly.

Additional Resources: Anxiety

Eating Disorders

College life can be hectic, and it can be easy to skip meals or develop irrational emotions toward food and weight issues. Because college is a time where students are still growing and bound to feeling extra self-conscious, more students experience eating disorders than they'd like to admit. With that said, a vast majority fail to seek help, or they don't realize the great extent of their issues. If ignored, eating disorders can definitely lead to debilitating results and life-threatening issues. The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders indicate that:

While these numbers do not reflect male behavior with regards to eating disorders, the illness is just nearly as likely to develop in males as it is for females. Many people don't seek treatment because they might feel it's taboo or that it's embarrassing for anyone to find out about their disorders. Men are more likely to suppress themselves because anorexia and bulimia are often viewed culturally as women's issues.

What are some common eating disorders?

Bulimia nervosa
- This is a type of binge eating disorder involving the act of eating a ton at once, and then purging all at once or excessively exercising after eating.

Binge eating disorder
- This is when you have strong cravings that result in unhealthy binge eating. Those with low self-esteem or confidence are susceptible to this disorder.

Anorexia nervosa
- This is when someone has a distorted image of body image and constantly fears gaining weight, which results in poor eating habits and behaviors.

What are the popular symptoms of having an eating disorder?

Symptoms for pretty much any type of disorder is going to vary from person to person, as will the methods for dealing with it. Some red flags for binging, bulimia, or anorexia include:

Fear of eating

Irregular heartbeats

Distorted body image

Dehydration

Excercising too much

If left untreated, eating disorders can result in life-altering results such as:

Heart Problems

Failure in reproductive system

Stunted growth

Kidney failure

Loss of femle menstruation

It's important to keep in mind that we all have days where we don't feel as pretty as we want to be, or we want to be skinnier. I mean, who doesn't want to look like a supermodel straight out of a Vogue magazine? Despite this, it's crucial to stay grounded and realize that flaws are what make us who we are. While it may be hard to squeeze in a healthy meal in between classes everyday, students should make a conscious effort to do so whenever possible.

How can I Tell Whether I Have an Eating Disorder or Not?

Recognizing the signs of eating disorders will be the first step towards recovery. The step after recognizing is to seek help from a mental health professional, who will assess your individual issues and determine the best way to resolve them. Before seeking help, you may consider asking yourself the following questions:

Do you feel constantly ashamed of your eating habits?

Are you scared of eating in public, or eating at all because you're going to gain weight?

Do you eat large amounts of food, and then purge or exercise excessively afterward?

Is your period irregular (women)?

Are you obsessed with counting your calories?

Do you constantly call yourself fat when nobody else thinks so?

Do you skip meals willingly?

Fear of eating in public

Making excuses for poor eating habits

If you've answered yes to one or more of these and feel that your behavior is negatively impacting your day-to-day living, it's time to seek professional help. When it comes to mental health disorders, it's always better to determine and fix the problem as early as possible.

Additional Resources: Eating Disorders

Suicide

The worst possible outcome to any untreated mental health issue is suicide. This can very much be avoided, which is why it is important to seek help early on when you think you or someone you know might need it. People can have suicidal thoughts for so many reasons -- whether it be discontentment in life of some sort, lack of self-confidence, feelings of hopelessness, excessive stress and pressure to fulfill standards set upon them... the list goes on. Anyone who has seriously considered committing suicide should consult a mental health professional immediately. There are plenty of suicide hotlines that are available to help and you can even be anonymous while getting the help you need.

Emory Cares for You indicates that:

What are the symptoms of suicide?

The first sign to determining whether you need help is recognizing the signs. Often times, people might think their ways of thinking or behaviors are normal, when in fact, they are not. Some people are able to suppress their feelings so well in front of others that it might take extra observing to see that they need help. Some common suicidal warning signs are:

Talk of suicide or wanting to die

Avoiding friends or social activities

Depression

Mood swings

Sense of hopelessness

Abrupt change in personality and behavior

Drop in academic performance

Extreme emotional and/or physical pain

Fear of eating in public

Making excuses for poor eating habits

What are the causes of suicide?

Most college students who decide to take their lives have a treatable mental illness. If diagnosed at the early stage, suicide can be avoided. Common causes for suicide may include:

Constant feeling of failure

Feeling hopeless

Relationship issues

Mental instability

Anxiety and depression from losing someone

Fear of eating in public

Making excuses for poor eating habits

How Do I Know Whether I'm Suicidal?

One who is constantly mentally unstable may experience feelings of hopelessness and depression. When severe enough, it can lead to suicidal thoughts. Feeling too overwhelmed or anxious can also draw you to this path. If you think you might be suicidal, consider asking yourself the following questions before seeking professional help:

Do you experience extreme anxiety?

Do you think about seriously killing yourself often?

Are you avoiding friends and family you used to enjoy being around?

Have you stopped attending social events you used to love going to?

Are you abusing drugs/alcohol to "escape" your problems?

Have you told someone you are thinking of killing yourself?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, tell a friend or family member that you trust or set up an appointment to see a medical professional for help before it's too late. Suicide is tragic for those who love and care for you, and help is always available one way or another. The earlier you seek help, the better.

Additional Resources: Suicide

Other types of Mental Health issues students may experience

While depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and suicide are the main mental health issues that students experience, there are also a few others to keep in mind and watch out for. They go hand-in-hand with the above illnesses. These include:

Struggles with identity
- Because college is a critical time where students are battling with finding their identity and transitioning into the adult life, struggles with identity are normal and expected. However, sometimes it's possible to get off the grid. With that said, it's important to know when to seek help when it's needed. If you feel like you are severely stressed or anxious about your identity, it would be a good idea to speak with a counselor, close friend, or family member to get guidance.

Self-harm
- This one ties in with suicide. People will choose to harm themselves because they don't feel worthy of living or simply want to end their lives. Most will do this in areas of the body that others may not be able to see very easily. Self-harm is a serious issue and should be monitored by a professional mental health specialist.

Bipolar disorder
- Because student life is not easy in college, it's normal to have ups and downs. However, constantly feeling bouts of depression and having periods of manic activity may warrant special medical attention. It's so easy to pass off bipolar disorders as "mood swings," but if it's getting to the point where it's affecting your daily life more than you can handle, then it may be time to seek counseling from a mental health specialist right away. Bipolar disorder can cause students to have a hard time focusing in their classes and as a result, doing well in school.

With the high stress levels from overlapping exams, term papers, part-time jobs, and the need to socialize, college life can be a very rapid and extreme transition for many coming out of high school, or even a community college. It's no easy task to juggle all of the tasks that students have to do, and as a result, many struggle with some form of mental health illness in college.

A survey on Huffington Post found that the following percentages of students reporting various factors as impacting their academic successes are as follows:

As you can see, stress is a large factor causing students mental health issues. With stress comes a variety of other difficulties like sleep difficulties, weakened immune system, depression, etc.

While the symptoms to the above illnesses are normal to an extent, it is important to know when you should seek help and where you can get help. Most colleges should have a health center where students can speak with a professional. If not, students can always call in to hotlines to speak with someone about their concerns.

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Mental Health Guide - CollegeStats.org -

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This guide is designed to help you identify the signs and symptoms of common mental health issues for college students. If left untreated, these issues can surely escalate and become debilitating for students. With that said, this guide will guide you on where and when to seek help as well.

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what does sustaining good mental health look like?

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what does sustaining good mental health look like?

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A person who sustains a good mental health status, according to Michigan university health services, will take time to:
-value themselves(treat yourself with kindness and respect)
- take care of their body(eating right, sleeping, exercise)
-surround themselves with positive people(people who will uplift and encourage you)
-learn how to deal with stress( find your outlet, could be as simple as yoga or talking with a friend or professional)
-quiet their mind frequently(Try meditating, mindfulness and/or prayer. Relaxation exercises and prayer can improve your state of mind and outlook on life)
-set realistic goals for themselves(Decide what you want to achieve academically, professionally and personally, and write down the steps you need to realize your goals)
-Break up with monotony(change of pace or routine once in a while)
-avoid alcohol and drugs(avoid self medication)
-Get help when they need it(seeking help is a sign of strength)
-volunteer or give back to others

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What is available on West Chester Universities campus?

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What is available on West Chester Universities campus?

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West Chester University has many resources to help students sustain good mental health. WCU has a free counselling center for all students, the official West Chester University website says, “The mission of the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services (The Counseling Center) is to promote optimal health through the provision of quality mental health services for all currently enrolled West Chester University students”. WCU also offers events like yoga in the quad to help students disconnect from everything else affecting their mental health. WCU has outlets for students to connect with animals, for example theory dogs are constantly on campus to help with mental relaxation.

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Counseling & Psychological Services - West Chester University

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The mission of the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services (The Counseling Center) is to promote optimal health through the provision of quality mental health services for all currently enrolled West Chester University students. We are a short-term Counseling Center, so sessions are limited; however, we also have a Clinical Case Manager to assist with off-campus services.

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Sustainability of mental health, although it can be an issue among college students, is not unattainable. With the correct skills to identify and address issues with mental health, students can thrive and be more happy in their college years and in life.