Calie
Siplon
Editor-In-Chief
According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, on the American College Health Association 2015 survey, college students identified the following mental health issues as negatively impacting their academic performance within the last 12 months: Stress (30% of students), Anxiety (22%), Sleep difficulties (20%) and Depression (14%).
“One of the most common antecedents of more impairing psychological problems seems to be highly stressful events. College may introduce more stressful life events in general,” said Gabby Zeller, the Assistant Clinic Director of the UW Psychology Clinic
College can already be considered difficult without one’s mental health to start declining. Zeller said some of the best ways to improve one’s mental health is to take care of the basic needs first. This includes getting enough sleep, eating well and having a balance between work and social life. With spring break right around the corner, these can be a good time for students to unwind and take care of themselves.
One of the ways for students to do this is to get both a good quantity and quality of sleep.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), when it comes to sleep, quality is better than quantity. To help with this, the CDC recommends having a consistent routine every night, removing electronics from the room and avoiding large meals before bed.
“College requires more advanced prioritization, time management, and planning skills. Classes are more challenging and it can feel like an abrupt life transition,” said Zeller. “Further, college is a financial burden for most. This can result in more overall stress and anxiety for students.”
Zeller said that according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) originally published in 2013, the onset of a major depressive episode most commonly occurs in one’s 20’s, so college students may be at an increased risk for depression.
“One of the most common antecedents of more impairing psychological problems seems to be highly stressful events. College may introduce more stressful life events in general,” said Zeller.
Over the break, it is not guaranteed students will not encounter other types of stress, but with a lack of classes, they can focus on getting better and preparing for the next half of the semester.
In regards to stress specifically, academic burnout can also be a symptom for college students. According to the Concorde Career Colleges, Inc. blog, the best way to prevent academic burnout and preventing the feeling of mental exhaustion, is self-care. Self-care is defined as any activity that is done deliberately in order to take care of one’s mental, emotional and physical health.
Self-care can include activities like making time to de-stress with a hobby, doing chores that have not been done when they were supposed to or even a reward after a long day. While self-care is a great option for most of the time, Zeller said that if a student’s mental health gets to a critical point, there are better things that can be done.
“When anxiety and low mood seem to impact your ability to do things that you used to be able to do, seeking out mental health services is the absolute best thing you can do for your mental health,” said Zeller. “The University of Wyoming Counseling Center is an excellent resource on campus. If you are looking for more longer-term treatment, the UW Psychology Clinic offers evidence-based treatments for a number of psychological problems as well.”
Over the break, students can take the time to relax, enjoy the weather and provide themselves with some self-care.
For more information, feel free to call the UW Student Health offices at 307-766-2130 or call the Advising, Career, Exploratory Center at 307-766-2398.
