Currently engaged as Principal Advisor to various International Universities, Prateek Gujral travels widely for recruitment and market development. Prateek is an authoritative and a resourceful voice in the International Education industry in South Asia. Prateek has a sharp flare for mobile technology and serves as Liaison Admin on XDA Developers (a mobile software development site) and a Senior Administrator on Swappa (a mobile trading site). A keen traveller, Prateek enjoys watching movies in his spare time.
Among college students, anxiety disorders, depression, and eating disorders including bulimia and anorexia are the most common mental health issues.
This calls for paying great attention to pupils’ emotional states and identifying outlets and coping mechanisms for unwanted or overpowering feelings.
Mental health is an essential component of a student’s educational experience, whether they are on campus or at an online university.
Let’s discuss the significance of mental health and how students can look after it.
Mental wellness
Mental health is the state of your emotions and how you deal with challenges in your life. If you have good mental health, you can address problems, manage stress, and overcome obstacles.
An individual’s mental health is influenced by their genetics, family history, experiences, environment, and other variables. No matter where we are on the spectrum of mental health, there are a number of things we can do to improve it.
Typical issues that college students face
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, more than 75% of mental health illnesses start before the age of 24. Knowing what to look for is vital, as this is likely to be experienced during academic years. Here are a few instances of typical mental health conditions:
Depressing thoughts: Common symptoms of depression include irrational feelings, tiredness, thoughts of suicide or death, as well as an underlying sense of helplessness or melancholy.
Suicidal thoughts: Suicidal thoughts do not have symptoms. It is advisable to seek help if you get into a trouble or are unable to move forward.
Anxiety: Although anxiety is a typical emotion, when pressure and stress increase, it may become unmanageable. Some signs of anxiety include sweating, an irregular heartbeat, headaches, trouble concentrating, feelings of tension, an upset stomach, shortness of breath, or impatience.
Motives for prioritising mental health in college
It’s a great notion to put one’s own mental health first over anything else. The experiences a student will have in college are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and they but prepare him/her for lifetime. Therefore, make the most of it while being ready to handle anything life brings one’s way, instead of succumbing to the situations and self-invited pressures.
Additionally, every student should inquire about the availability of a college’s mental health support network. Whether it’s through student services, mental health counselling, or a network of mentors, parents, classmates, or professors, there are support mechanisms around, in the form of volunteers and counsellors.
Notably, your mental well-being in college will affect: How you’re feeling overall; Your experiences in college; and your scholastic accomplishments. So better take charge of it!
How to be mentally healthy while in college?
Along with utilising support systems, students should seek to improve their personal health while in college (or at any other point in life). Here are a few ideas:
Time management
Enhancing time management abilities can aid in lowering stress, which can cause anxiety. It takes discipline and practice to manage time well. There are various ways to manage time better. A few examples include- prioritising one’s to-do list, being organised, scheduling one’s day in time blocks, setting realistic goals and defining time limits for certain chores At the end of each day, one must evaluate successes and create a plan for the following day’s activities.
Network of support
Creating a support system can be transformative when it comes to mental health. If one is feeling lonely, one can reach out to classmates, coworkers, friends, neighbours, or even professors. This way, there is always someone to turn to- for guidance, especially at critical times.
Volunteer
Endorphin levels may be increased by helping others and volunteering, resulting in increased happiness and decreased stress. Even if one has a full schedule, making time for volunteering may be useful. There are also ways to volunteer without investing a lot of time in the endeavour. For instance, one could donate to a food drive or organise a fundraiser for a good cause.
Get some sleep or rest
Please be aware that inadequate sleep can cause the associated hormones to go out of whack. Neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which are crucial for preventing depression and anxiety, are regulated by sleep cycles. If you have difficulties falling asleep or staying asleep, try adopting natural sleep aids like creating a nighttime routine, switching off electronics, lowering the lights, taking a bath, or practising meditation.
Do some physical activity
Exercise of any kind is better than none! Take up any sport you find enjoyable, such a pilates, running, cycling, swimming, or walking. Working out improves blood circulation, which has the inherent ability to elevate mood.
Take breaks frequently
No matter how productive you are or how well you manage your time, take time to recharge. After doing some of the items on your to-do list, decide to take a break while studying.
Meditate
A strategy for lowering the amount of thoughts in the head and for quieting the mind is meditation. Start out by meditating for one to five minutes each day, then gradually extend the time. We can feel better emotionally and physically by meditating.