If you are feeling low, anxious, stressed or simply not yourself, you may feel that these feelings are impossible to move out of and you just can’t make yourself feel better. We have found that students who follow through on even one or two of the following suggestions do, in fact, feel better.
Focus on things you can take action on – shift focus away from the things you can’t do anything about. Brewing and stewing deepens a rut, doing and moving can steer you out of it.
Even moderate exercise like walking, jogging, swimming, or any sport or activity that you enjoy can be therapeutic. The Kenyon Athletic Center (KAC) is a great place to go to get out of the cold weather and do something healthy.
If you’re feeling jittery or anxious, try to avoid caffeine in pop, coffee and tea. Caffeine and sugar helps pick you up in the short run but can contribute to depressed feelings when the initial jolt wears off. For more information about health eating recommendations, please speak with AVI staff in the Peirce Hall servery or visit aviserves.com/kenyon/peirce-hall.html
Either too much or too little sleep can worsen your mood. You know how much sleep makes sense for you better than anyone. Try to get enough sleep, but be careful of sleeping too much. Some people find that staying in bed is a great way to avoid things they don’t want to do; the trouble with hiding in bed is that when they finally get up, they’re even further behind.
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends the following:
Ages 13-18: 8 to 10 hours of sleep per 24 hours
Ages 18 to 60: 7 or more hours per night
Pay attention to what gets you down by writing it down. Write a letter to the person that you’re upset with in your journal – do not send it; this can give you the freedom to let out troubling feelings, the start of the process of letting go of them. When something good happens, don’t forget to write that down, too. Many depressed students tend to screen from their awareness any good things that happen like a compliment, a smile, a hello, or a good grade.
We find that many students feel different and alienated from others. We hear students say repeatedly, “I didn’t know anyone else felt this way,” or “I thought I was the only person in the world who had this experience.” Go to one of your friends, your Community Advisor (C.A.), your professor, or your advisor and ask if they ever get down or depressed or ever felt like you. You may be surprised to find that you’re in good company and that you are not as alone as you think.
Take time to pat yourself on the back about a time that you succeeded or did the right thing for someone else. Explore what it is about you (what strength/ability) that enabled you to do that.
We find that students often resort to drugs or alcohol as a way to get through a tough time. Drinking can be used as a way to relieve tension, to escape, and to numb feelings. Unfortunately, alcohol is a depressant which leads to more trouble (sometimes serious legal trouble) and more depression. At times, when students feel down, they want to escape their pain so much that they drink and also take pills. Even when they have not meant to harm themselves, students who have mixed pills such as Tylenol, aspirin, or antihistamines with alcohol have caused very serious damage to themselves. If you are worried that you might be impulsive and harm yourself this way – call our office.
You have already made two very positive moves! One is that you called for an appointment and requested help. The other is that you have taken the time and invested the energy to read this. Honor your courage and strength for this!
Reference: Original document created by the College of Wooster Longbrake Student Wellness Center- Counseling Services.