Mental Health

Being a new student on campus, whether you’re a freshman or a transfer student, can be tough.  Even the extroverts who make assimilation look easy have their own adjustment period they have to go through. A new environment, new social circles and groups, all of the changes that come with enrolling in a new school can be overwhelming to anyone.  Social anxiety, new educational stressors and homesickness are all factors that can lead to new students isolating themselves. Though avoiding social activities might feel as if it temporarily reduces your anxiety, it’s not a healthy or sustainable approach to [...]

Traumatic events can leave a negative lasting impression on individuals who experience or witness them, usually taking a significant toll on multiple (if not all) areas of their lives. Though many stigmas around seeking professional help have been broken, some continue to be perpetuated, especially in environments where mental and physical resilience are glorified. Military trauma should always be acknowledged and taken seriously. The often extreme and distressing encounters military personnel can experience usually require some form of professional support in order to help them fully process what they went through. Recognizing military trauma and understanding what trauma does [...]

Social media as a whole isn’t even 30 years old yet. Social media in the way we think of it in the modern sense (iPhones, TikTok, AI-based algorithms, etc.) is barely 20. In other words, the true social media impact on society has yet to be revealed.  It’s changed a lot since the launch of its initial platforms in the late 90s and early 2000s. These platforms evolved from the sharing of status updates and pictures—to sharing live and pre-recorded videos, the ability to call or video chat, offering online shopping and more. For many people, personally and professionally, social [...]

Millions of people struggle with mental illnesses every single year in the United States alone, and according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, more than half of them will never receive the treatment they need. There are many contributing factors to why this, but one of the root causes continues to be stigmas around mental health. Despite all of the progress the mental health care community has made with eliminating much of the publicly spread misinformation, stigmas continue to circulate down through generations and can be especially prevalent within certain cultural and religious communities. While we might not be [...]

The New Year is the ultimate symbol of change. People commonly set goals around fitness and physical health, but some health goals are more subtle than that and yet, equally as important. These would be the goals for mental health. Remember the timeless phrase, “mind, body and soul” — in order to truly be the healthiest version of yourself, you need to take care of your mind, body and soul. Fitness is just one piece of the puzzle, mental health is another.  How you see yourself, talk to yourself and treat yourself matters; how you process your thoughts and feelings [...]

A little bit of stress and some feelings of anxiety during the holidays are completely normal. Winter holidays are one of the busiest seasons (arguably, the busiest season) of the year, and one that, unfortunately, doesn’t always feel so merry and bright. For individuals or families of individuals who are struggling with mental health issues, this November–January period can pose a series of challenges, ranging from depression and loneliness to mania and panic.  For those who already suffer from chronic anxiety, added stress during the holidays can lead to exacerbated symptoms, such as heightened or severe anxiety and stress. [...]

The holiday season can bring a mixed bag of emotions. On the surface, we mostly tend to see individuals who are joyful and fulfilled by the holidays. Overwhelmingly we see these portrayals in commercialized advertisements and social media, platforms that capitalize on the festive season or aim at self-promotion. Beneath the surface, however, many people experience more negative emotions during the holidays. It’s common for individuals to feel isolated, left out, stressed, anxious and alone. Whether it’s grief, financial troubles or loneliness that disrupts the holidays, you’re far from alone if you’re not feeling the season’s cheer. Loneliness during the [...]

The state of our mental health affects every single area of our lives. It’s one of the dominant influences over how we view and feel about ourselves, others and the world around us. It has the power to assist us in holding fast to hope no matter how much we’re struggling, or it can be the defining factor that pushes us to give in to despair. Poor mental health is just one of the many elements that contribute to a person’s decision to commit suicide, a terrible act that affects many other lives besides the one that is claimed. Survivors [...]

The short term effects of grief on mental health through the five stages of grief, like self-isolation, anxiety, negative mood and failure to find enjoyment in life.