College comes with a lot of changes. Students often have to deal with new roommates, new responsibilities, new environments and new pressures. Managing all these competing factors can be difficult, especially at the beginning of a new school year. Therefore, it’s important to make sure you maintain your mental health. Whether you’ve had a history of mental health issues in the past or not, paying attention to your emotions and behavior as you navigate NSU can help you keep an active measure of your mental state.
There’s no clear definition of mental health
Debra Futterman, director of Henderson Student Counseling services, said that there’s no strict definition of mental health because mental health is different for every person. Instead, she said that any recurring behavior or emotion that is out-of-character can be a sign that you need to evaluate your mental health.
“Everyone’s definition of normal is different, so [mental health issues stem from] the occurrence of something that impedes everyday functioning,” she said.
According to Futterman, a lack of mental health can manifest in many different ways.
“Maybe it’s a new freshman who’s having trouble adjusting to the college environment and that’s getting in the way of their everyday functioning, like their homework, or it’s someone with a severe mental illness,” she explained. “In that respect, mental health is hard to define. We like to look at it in terms of behavioral health instead of mental health.”
Behavioral health issues are common
According to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 18 percent of adults experience some kind of mental illness. The American Psychological Association reports that anxiety is the top concern among college students, followed by depression and relationship issues.
Futterman said that the biggest behavioral health issues undergraduate and graduate students face overall stem from anxiety, loneliness, homesickness, interpersonal conflicts, feeling overwhelmed and mild to severe depression.
“Sometimes [the reason for behavioral health issues is] just that you get thrown into everything, and you don’t know where to start,” Futterman said. “Sometimes it’s people coming to grips with the picture they had of college being different from what college actually is. Our expectations are different from what actually happens, and it doesn’t mean that what’s happening is bad. It just means that it’s different.”
These issues can prevent students from functioning the way they would normally.
Futterman said, “If you and your roommate are fighting over who-knows-what, it’s not that easy to sit down and study for your test because you’re ruminating about the argument you just had. Interpersonal conflict comes into play a lot on our campus.”
Monitoring your mind
According to Futterman, it’s important for students to pay attention to their behavioral health before it reaches a dangerous level; students can do this by being aware of themselves and their behavior. Among things to monitor, Futterman mentioned sleeping and eating more or less than usual, increased or decreased activity and losing contact with close friends.
“It’s noticing differences of pattern in your behavior,” Futterman said. “It’s really just paying attention and knowing yourself, knowing what works for you and when things change, why that is and what’s getting in the way.”
Managing mental wellness
Futterman said that self-care is key to maintaining healthy mindsets and behavior.
“Yes, studying and going to class is important,” she said. “But you need self-care. You need to take a break, you need to sleep, you need to eat, you need to find time for activities that you like to engage in, you need to step back and take care of yourself. You’re not hindering your study. You’re refreshing your mental capacity.”
Futterman reads as a way to focus her energy and relax. She said finding an activity that helps you zero in on a specific task can help the rest of your brain quiet down, and it might mean trying 20 things that don’t work at first until you find something that does.
Futterman also suggested taking advantage of campus resources to help manage stress-related behavioral issues. For example, visiting an academic adviser for major-related stress, the Tutoring and Testing Center for grade-related stress, and the Office of Career Development for career-related stress.
Keeping the peer circle healthy
While taking care of behavioral health on an individual basis is important, it’s also important to be aware of those around us to help them stay healthy.
“Watch for a change in behavior,” Futterman said. “The person who’s always dressed up who now dresses a lot more casually, or the person who eats a lot is no longer eating, or the person who usually doesn’t eat that much is eating a lot. It’s the opposite of behaviors.”
Other examples include sleeping more or less than usual and increased or decreased daily activity.
“If a red flag goes up in your head, pay attention to it,” Futterman said. “Don’t dismiss it. Our intuition is surprisingly good. We don’t give ourselves enough credit. If you think something might not be right, check.”
Futterman emphasized the importance of asking questions.
“People don’t always report when they’re not doing well because they don’t know how to bring it up with someone, but as soon as someone asks, they’re able to say it’s not going OK,” Futterman explained. “Sometimes all it takes is someone taking interest.”
Taking active care of your behavior health
“If you sprained your foot and you had to go to physical therapy, you wouldn’t think twice about it,” Futterman said. “Behavioral health is the same. Don’t think twice about it. Your brain is just as important as a sprained ankle.”
All students have access to 10 free counseling sessions a year. Henderson Counseling Services is a non-diagnostic and completely confidential service, with an optional in-house doctor. To schedule an appointment or to speak with a counselor, call the 24/7 phone line 954-424-6911. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.
