3 Quick Tips to Take Care of Your Mental Health

 Hi everyone! 

October is filled with lots of fun, including fall weather, pumpkin patches, and Halloween. But, October also has Mental Health Awareness week, which is more important than anything mentioned above. Up to 44% of college students experience depression and anxiety, which is why I wanted to write about mental health care in this week's post. 

Set aside time for self-care 

I know college can be stressful, and sometimes time feels scarce. But, you should always prioritize your self-care over other things. Self-care comes in a lot of different forms and is different for everyone; for some, it might be taking a long shower, and for others, it might be going to the gym. Whatever it is, you should try and set aside at least 30 minutes a day for anything that helps your mind settle. 

Don't take on too much 

Continuing on the same note as the last point - Balancing a lot of extracurricular activities like clubs and sports might be possible, but sometimes it's not the best alternative. As students, we typically have 3-4 classes, homework, a part-time job and multiple activities going on in our life to the point where we do not have enough time for ourselves, or even sleep. Try your best to find a balance, and if you can't, then you are definitely taking on too much. 

Use your resources

College campuses know that their students are prone to depression and anxiety, and they are also aware that college students are the ones who probably take the least care of their mental health. There are always campus resources to get help. PLU has multiple resources for us, including counseling sessions, a crisis hotline, and Lute Telehealth, where you can speak to professionals. Lute telehealth offers both on-demand counseling and scheduled therapy sessions - on-demand has unlimited sessions, and scheduled therapy offers 12 free sessions per semester which equal out to about one session per week. Find your resources from PLU's counseling, health & wellness services here. 

The PLU health center also offers happy lamps for students who feel signs of seasonal depression. A happy lamp mimics outdoor light, which is especially helpful here in Washington where it gets dark and gloomy around this time. For information on how to get a hold of a happy lamp, reach out to the PLU Health Center. 

That's all for today folks - take care of yourself! 

- Silje