Back to school, back to stress?

With a return to studies right around the corner for many, the mental health of post secondary students has been on my mind.

Several of my clients are either in studies (or fairly recent university graduates) and often report high levels of stress/distress and have mental health concerns.

Some of the most common issues are an increase of symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Some students feel they were underprepared for the increased workload as they enter into demanding fields of study and work, or how the expectations and workload grows exponentially throughout their degree program. In addition to this, many struggle with how to manage the increasing complexities of adult life (I say this as an adult in mid 40’s who is still struggling to find balance and come to terms with many of these issues)

Examples include: less than ideal living arrangements, social demands, family and intimate relationship dynamics, financial pressures, cultural & societal expectations, internal conflict ect.

Start by giving yourself a bit of grace

College/University can be a wonderful time, and can also be an incredibly challenging period for many, it is not a failure to be struggling and to be feeling a lot of conflicting emotions.

Make your wellbeing a priority.

Figure out what you need to do to feel ok, and do that.

I can make some general recommendations that can benefit many students but to get some more personalized feedback, I encourage you to reach out for support thru your schools student service centre, or make an appointment with a qualified therapist

Some general suggestions to consider:

• Get some sleep

You knew I was going to say this didn’t you?

Aim for 8 hours most nights, this may require some help to learn to say no to things that get in the way of this critical need & addressing the underlying issues that make this difficult

• Learn healthy ways to cope with stress & seek help in this area, it will save you years of trouble!

• Release yourself from things (including relationships) that create conflict in your life,

• Invest in relationships that are positive and healthy

• Learn study techniques that work for you, and adjust expectations if needed

• Develop daily habits that help your body recover from periods of stress (For more on this, please read my blog about stress from February 2022) https://kscounsellingbc.wixsite.com/ks-counselling/post/why-is-stress-so-stressful

• Talk to someone: if you don't have someone you feel comfortable opening up to about what is troubling you, please reach out for help. I have started a resource page to help people find support when needed, check it out here https://kscounsellingbc.wixsite.com/ks-counselling/general-4

Remember your worth is not dependent on grades GPA or whether you pass/fail classes.

You are worthy, valid and will be ok, even if you decide that you don’t want to complete a class or a program at this time. There are options, and there is help available.

I will provide some study tips (I am currently a student as well) in the next week or so, so please check back soon, and email me if there are any certain school related topics you would like me to discuss in further posts.

Be kind to yourself