Mental Health Basics

Knowing how to take care of your mental health when you’re in college is just as important as maintaining your physical health. In fact, there’s a strong link between the two: doctors are finding that positive mental health can actually improve your physical health.

So, what is “mental health”? From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental health "includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.“

Having "good" mental health doesn't necessarily mean being happy or successful all the time. Most people feel depressed, lonely, or anxious now and then, but employ strategies to manage those feelings without causing a major disruption to their lives. When such feelings or moods persist and interfere with a person’s ability to function normally, though, it may be a sign of a more serious mental health problem and time to seek help.

If you need someone to talk to, contact one of the counselors in our Student Success office by calling 724-925-4000. You can also learn more about Westmoreland support services on the Mental Health Matters page.

Depression

Depression is a common but serious mood disorder that’s more than just a feeling of “being down in the dumps” or “blue” for a few days. It causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. To be diagnosed with depression, the symptoms must be present for at least two weeks.

If you have been experiencing some of the following signs and symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks, you may be suffering from depression:

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. If you are feeling low, try to take a break from the pressures of college and do something you enjoy. Spend time with friends, exercise, read a good book, listen to music, watch a movie, call a friend, talk to your family, or anything else that makes you feel good. If you feel depressed for two weeks, or the feeling keeps coming back, you should talk to a counselor in Student Success. They see lots of students who are anxious, stressed, or depressed at college and can offer support and resources for you. 

If you need someone to talk to, contact one of the counselors in our Student Success office by calling 724-925-4000. You can also learn more about Westmoreland support services on the Mental Health Matters page.

If feelings of loneliness persist, and especially if you're feeling depressed, seek support from a Westmoreland counselor or one of the health services available to you.

Stress

As a student, you’re probably plenty familiar with the experience of stress—a condition characterized by symptoms of physical or emotional tension. What you may not know is that it’s a natural response of the mind and body to a situation in which a person feels threatened or anxious. Stress can be positive (e.g., preparing for a wedding) or negative (e.g., dealing with a natural disaster).

Stress can hit you when you least expect it—before a test, after losing a job, or during conflict in a relationship. If you’re a college student, it may feel like stress is a persistent fact of life. While everyone experiences stress at times, a prolonged bout of it can affect your health and ability to cope with life. That’s why social support and self-care are important. They can help you see your problems in perspective . . . and the stressful feelings ease up.

Sometimes stress can be good. For instance, it can help you develop skills needed to manage potentially challenging or threatening situations in life. However, stress can be harmful when it is severe enough to make you feel overwhelmed and out of control.

Strong emotions like fear, sadness, or other symptoms of depression are normal, as long as they are temporary and don’t interfere with daily activities. If these emotions last too long or cause other problems, seek support from a Westmoreland counselor or one of the health services available to you.

If you need someone to talk to, contact one of the counselors in our Student Success office by calling 724-925-4000. You can also learn more about Westmoreland support services on the Mental Health Matters page.

Ways of Managing Stress

The best strategy for managing stress is by taking care of yourself in the following ways:

Avoid drugs and alcohol. They may seem to be a temporary fix to feel better, but in the long run, they can create more problems and add to your stress—instead of taking it away.

Manage your time. Work on prioritizing and scheduling your commitments. This will help you feel in better control of your life, which, in turn, will mean less stress.

Find support. Seek help from a friend, family member, partner, counselor, doctor, or clergy person. Having a sympathetic listening ear and talking about your problems and stress really can lighten the burden.

Connect socially. When you feel stressed, it’s easy to isolate yourself. Try to resist this impulse and stay connected. Make time to enjoy being with classmates, friends, and family; try to schedule study breaks that you can take with other people.

Getting into an effective exercise routine now will not only make it easier to build healthy habits that you can take with you into your life after college, but it can actually help you be a more successful student, too. Exercise is a powerful tool for improving one’s mental health and memory—both of which are especially important when you’re in school.

The good news is that most people can improve their health and quality of life through a modest increase in daily activity. You don’t have to join a gym, spend a lot of money, or even do the same activity every time—just going for a walk or choosing to take the stairs (instead of the elevator) can make a difference.

In addition to formal exercise, there are many opportunities to be active throughout the day. Being active helps burn calories. The more you move around, the more energy you will have.

• Walk instead of drive whenever possible

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator

• Work in the garden, rake leaves, or do some housecleaning every day

• Park at the far end of the campus lot and walk to class

Of course, if you want to "join" a gym, as a Westmoreland student, you have free access to the Youngwood Campus Fitness Center, which includes two gymnasiums, a walking track, a fitness center, and a weight room.

One final time: If you need someone to talk to, contact one of the counselors in our Student Success office by calling 724-925-4000. You can also learn more about Westmoreland support services on the Mental Health Matters page.