By many accounts, there is a mental health crisis on college campuses today. More students than ever before report feeling stressed, anxious, depressed or overwhelmed. Perhaps even more concerning is that research indicates that m
any college students have developed what psychologists call “maladaptive” patterns of behavior in response to these mental health issues, including abusing substances, developing poor sleeping and eating patterns and other unhealthy behaviors.
Although there are many aspects to caring for your mental health, one of the foundations to staying healthy emotionally is self-care. All too often, college students (and pretty much everyone) put self-care on the back burner in favor of other priorities. However, taking care of yourself is vital to both your ongoing mental health and your success as a student. Incorporate these tips into your routine to help feel your best.
1. Practice Self-Care From Day One
It’s common for students to put off self-care, thinking that it’s something that they can do later when they have the luxury of time. For now, they think, getting their degree and finding a great job or getting into graduate school is the priority. However, making time to take care of yourself now is not only important for maintaining good health but also for developing good habits. Practicing self-care is especially important for those planning to enter the “caring professions”, such as those in counseling degree programs. Not addressing your own mental and physical health needs can undermine your professional competence and lead to burnout sooner rather than later.
2. Maintaining Healthy Habits
Exercising, getting adequate sleep and eating well are all key to your physical and mental health. Sleep deprivation, for instance, can affect your memory and ability to concentrate, and chronic sleep deprivation — meaning sleeping less than five hours a night for weeks or months — can lead to mood changes and increase anxiety and depression. Create a schedule and commit to effective time management, so you can make time to sleep and exercise and stick to as healthy a diet as possible.
3. Build a Support System
Most colleges offer student counseling and support services to assist students with their mental and emotional needs. Often these services are free or very low cost and can be invaluable in providing help with time management, relationship issues, feelings of depression and more. Your support system doesn’t only need to include mental health support, though. Get to know your advisor, the professors in your program and others on campus. These people can become trusted friends and help you navigate the challenges of college life.
4. Understanding Empathy vs. Compassion
Many students who are studying to become counselors, teachers or other “high-touch” professionals often struggle with finding the right balance between caring for others and caring for themselves. Even those who aren’t seeking those careers but living in close proximity to friends in a dorm can get caught up in others’ lives and dramas and take on the stress of those situations.
Taking care of yourself means learning the difference between empathy, or putting yourself in someone else’s shoes to feel what they feel, and compassion, or having concern and sympathy for the suffering of others and wanting to help. Both are important, but if you are constantly worrying about others and trying to fix their problems, or involving yourself in situations that don’t necessarily affect you, you’re going to burn out. You can be a supportive shoulder to cry on for your friends, and have empathy for their problems, but remember that you are not there to save them or be a superhero. Setting those boundaries can help keep you healthy emotionally.
5. Avoid Isolation
Even if you are generally introverted, locking yourself away and spending all your time alone isn’t always a good idea. Getting together with friends, studying with a group or setting up work dates with your friends or significant other helps you feel less isolated and can help improve your mood and overall mental well-being. That’s not to say you shouldn’t plan some alone time too, but social interaction is important for avoiding depression.
6. Get a Hobby
You might think that you don’t have time for a hobby right now, but it’s important to make time for something you enjoy doing just for the fun of it. Whether it’s hiking, reading for fun, crafting or something else entirely, make a point of doing it at least a few times a month. Doing something you enjoy can help you refresh and recharge your batteries and have some fun, all of which are important to staying mentally healthy.
7. Use Apps
If you are like most college students, you have your phone with you at all times. Put it to work with some apps designed to support your mental health. You can find free or low-cost apps for guided meditation and relaxation, mood tracking and more — and if you are really struggling, there are counseling apps that can connect you with a mental health professional.
Taking care of yourself is not selfish, nor is it wasting time. It’s an important part of staying healthy and getting the most from your college experience.
