College Health: Mental Health Issues

How can I develop a healthy social life at college?

Definitely keep in touch with friends and family from home, but make sure you develop new friendships at school. You’ll probably meet friends at orientation, in the first few days of school, in your classes, at social events, in the cafeteria, in clubs or sports, and through other friends. Don’t worry if it takes a while to find friends—it will happen. Your roommate(s) may become a good friend(s), or you may not click with them. You should talk to your roommate(s) as soon as possible about issues such as cleaning, bedtimes, music, and visitors/guests (boyfriends/girlfriends, etc.) so that you avoid problems later on. If you’re having problems getting along with your roommate(s), talk to your RA (resident advisor).

What if I’m under a lot of stress?

Chances are you’ll probably feel stressed at some point while you’re at college. College is a lot of fun, but it’s also a lot of work. You may be on your own for the first time in your life, and/or dealing with issues without your family and friends from home. This can be tough. If you’re stressed, you may feel really tired, have a headache, have trouble sleeping, have trouble concentrating, and/or feel nervous, among many other symptoms.

Is there anything that I can do to deal with the stress?

Yes. Some ways to deal with stress are to consume less caffeine, follow a healthy diet, get regular exercise, and get enough sleep. Also, make sure that you do something you enjoy every day. The key is to balance classes and schoolwork with friends and having fun. Try to have a positive outlook, and don’t forget to have a sense of humor!

What do I do if I’m feeling down?

There are days that you will feel down, especially when the demands of college get to you. These feelings are normal and will go away. At these times, you should take a break from the pressures of college and do something you enjoy. Spend time with friends, exercise, read a good book, play ball, listen to music, watch a movie, call a friend, talk to your family, or anything else that makes you feel good. If it doesn’t go away in 2 weeks or keeps coming back, you should talk to a counselor in the health services/center. They see lots of students who are anxious, stressed or depressed at college.

What if it’s more serious than feeling down—am I depressed?

Sometimes, feeling down can get more serious and you can become depressed. However, depression can be treated. If you’ve had thoughts of suicide, of harming others, or if you have had any of the following symptoms for 2 weeks or more, see a counselor at your student health center right away:

• Sad mood
• Not enjoying things that you normally enjoy
• Sleeping problems (you sleep too much or too little)
• Being really tired, not able to concentrate, having very little energy
• Eating problems (you eat too much or too little)
• Feeling that you are worthless and there’s no hope
• Physical problems (headaches, stomach aches, or body aches) that don’t get better even after you try to treat them

Homesickness

If you’re living away from home for the first time, you may experience homesickness. Almost every college student will miss something about home during their years away at school. Whether it’s something as small as missing your mom’s cooking or something bigger such as wishing you lived closer to your friends, everyone feels it. Read on for tips to help you deal with homesickness and ways to get the most out of your college experience.

Is it normal to feel homesick at college?

The first couple of weeks at college may seem great, but as the weeks continue and homework begins to pick up the thrill of being away from home can get old. It’s typical to ask yourself “Am I really happy here?” It’s normal to have mixed feelings about college life and yes, it’s perfectly normal to miss your family, friends, and home. Learning ways to cope with these feelings will help you adjust to college.

Getting Used to Roommates

You may or may not have had to share a room with a sibling while you were living at home, but having one or more roommates at college is a very different experience. Even if you become friends with your roommate(s), there still may be times where you aren’t getting along. If you’ve tried your best to communicate with your roommate and you’re still feeling frustrated, don’t hesitate to contact your Resident Director (RD) or Resident Advisor (RA) to schedule a meeting. It’s important to know that college campuses offer a wide variety of resources to help you solve even the smallest problem, such as mediation, or a room transfer.

Making New Friends

It’s completely normal to miss your friends from home. However, college is the perfect place to meet lots of new people. If you’re wondering how to meet people, college orientation is the perfect start, because everyone is new. During orientation you’ll probably be encouraged to participate in activities that will help you get to know your fellow classmates. Once you get settled, try joining a club, a team sport, volunteering, or getting involved on campus. Colleges and universities both big and small offer a wide range of activities and clubs similar to those in high school.

Adjusting to Your New Surroundings

It’s important to understand that by going home frequently may make it even harder to overcome feeling homesick. Instead of making the trip home, try inviting a family member or friend for a visit.

Other things you can do to that will help you keep busy and curb the urge to go home:

• Fill your weekends with fun activities.
• Look forward to long weekends or vacations when you can go home for an extended amount of time.
• Remember that in the scheme of things, spending time away will make you appreciate your home town and family more than you might imagine.

Some students who go to college live at home. This can create a greater challenge for making friends and fitting into your college environment. If you commute to college, remember that you can participate in all campus groups and clubs as well as make friends with students in your classes.

Staying In Touch With Friends and Family

It’s relatively easy to communicate, and your family and friends are probably only a phone call, e-mail, or text message away. It’s a good idea to talk with your family before you leave for school about how often they expect to be in touch with you; make sure you agree on the amount of contact and who should initiate it. Try to set aside at least one day a week to call home, Face Time, Skype, or video chat.

Because staying in touch with family is so easy these days, some college students are tempted to text and email with parents daily or several times a day. Remember that being at college is a good time to try making decisions by yourself or with help from advisors, other students, and friends.

Eating Disorders

What should I know about eating disorders?

Eating disorders are mental health illnesses that involve emotional and behavioral disturbance surrounding weight and food issues. The most common are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Eating disorders can have life-threatening consequences.

Even though most of the publicity surrounding eating disorders focuses on women, men develop eating disorders too.

What is anorexia nervosa?

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by self-starvation and extreme weight loss either through restriction, over-exercising, or through bingeing and purging. Starvation can cause harm to vital organs such as the heart and brain. The nails, hair, and bones of a person with anorexia can become brittle, and the skin can become dry and sometimes becomes yellow or covered with soft hair.

What is bulimia nervosa?

People with bulimia nervosa eat large amounts of food within a two-hour period of time (also called bingeing) at least two times a week and then vomit (also called purging), use laxatives or diet pills, or exercise compulsively. They feel out of control while eating, as though they cannot stop eating. Because many people who “binge and purge” maintain their body weight, they may keep their problem a secret for years. Vomiting can cause loss of important minerals, life-threatening heart arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), damage to the teeth, and swelling of the throat.

What is Binge Eating Disorder?

People who binge without purging also have a disorder called Binge Eating Disorder. This is frequently associated with feelings of loss of control and shame surrounding eating. People who are diagnosed with this disorder may gain weight depending on how often they binge eat, and many will have all of the consequences of being overweight including: high blood pressure and other cardiac symptoms, diabetes, and musculoskeletal complaints.

What if I think my roommate, classmate, or friend might have an eating disorder?

If you know someone with an eating disorder, the best thing you can do is give them support and encouragement. Urge the person to get help, and be persistent. Many colleges have treatment programs for these conditions and trained counselors who can relate to people with an eating disorder. They can help the person with an eating disorder understand his/her problem.

What if I think I might have an eating disorder?

If you think you might have an eating disorder, you should go to the student health center or counseling center and get help. Talk with your family and close friends. Going for help and talking to others about your feelings and illness can be very difficult, but it’s the best way to get better.

Alcohol

How about drinking?

You’ll definitely encounter alcohol and drinking while you are at college. Some students drink a lot because it is the first time there is no parent around to know they are drinking. Using alcohol or other substances may have consequences and some risks are listed below. On the other hand, if you don’t like being around people who are drinking, there are many people at college who don’t drink or use drugs. Many people prefer doing activities that don’t involve drinking, such as going participating in athletic events, going to a movie, concert, or play, or going out to eat. Many schools also have “dry dorms” for students who don’t drink or use drugs and don’t want to be around others who do. Before you make any decisions about drinking, you should know the risks.

Some of the risks of drinking include:

• Sexual harassment and date rape are more likely to occur when alcohol is involved.
• Violent, and/or sexually aggressive behavior.
• Illness (or even death). Heavy drinking in high school and college can cause drinking problems in the future.

How do I make a decision about drinking at college?

You probably know that drinking under the age of 21 is illegal and you’ll get in legal trouble if you’re caught. Some colleges have disciplinary procedures for students who are caught drinking such as suspension, mandatory counseling, or expulsion. However, you’ll probably encounter alcohol at some point before you turn 21, which is the legal drinking age in the United States. Obviously, the best way to avoid drinking-related problems is to not drink at all.

If you decide to drink, it should be your own decision and not because other people want you to, or tell you to. Also, remember that if you drink more than one or two drinks, you may lose bodily control and may not be able to think clearly.

If you do decide to drink, here are some tips to stay safe:

• Be in control of your beverage at all times. Never put your drink down and walk away. Date rape drugs such as “Roofies” (slang for Rohypnol®) can easily be put in a drink without you even noticing. Roofies cause drowsiness, dizziness, memory loss, and other dangerous symptoms.
• Don’t drive if you have been drinking, and don’t ride with someone else who has been drinking. Alcohol makes your judgment cloudy, slows your reflexes, and affects your vision.
• Don’t play drinking games such as “beer pong”, “flip cup”, “power hour”, etc. People tend to drink just to get drunk while playing these games, and end up consuming a lot more alcohol this way.
• If you feel that you have a drinking problem or if your friends are commenting on your drinking, see a counselor for help.

Drugs

You may see people doing drugs at college, or someone may try to pressure you to try them. Try to remember that the majority of young adults don’t use drugs.

Some of the dangers of drugs include:

• Many drugs, including “weed” (marijuana) contain many dangerous and toxic chemicals.
• Trying a drug “just once” may seem harmless, but you really never know exactly what’s in it.
• Non-prescription drugs are illegal with the exception of marijuana in some states. If you are caught, you’ll likely face a large fine or time in jail. A police record can limit your career choices. Even trying drugs just once can be something that you’ll regret later on.
• Car crashes, falls, and suicide are all linked to drug use.
• Continuous drug use can change your appearance, cause you to do poorly in school, make you depressed, and destroy your relationships with friends and family.

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