It's OK To Not Be OK: A Johnny's Journey with Mental Health
As a senior graduating in May, I believe that as a country we all need to place a greater emphasis on mental health and recognizing the early signs of a struggle so that the issue can be quickly addressed. College students often have a mindset to just push through and pretend things are okay until we see a change instead of dealing with the problem at its onset. It is okay to not be okay and to admit you are struggling or need help redirecting where you are headed in life.
My first experience with anxiety happened around my second semester as a first-year student. I started procrastinating about getting schoolwork done and therefore put myself in a stressful position to meet deadlines. At the same time, some of my friendships started to deteriorate and people close to me began discovering the things that worked for them while drifting away from our relationship.
I experienced panic attacks, intense feelings of doom and fear, body tremors, and more. When I had my first panic attack, I kept telling myself that I just had a difficult moment and that I would feel better the next day—but that wasn’t the case. I felt completely out of whack for three days before I decided to speak to a professional.
As a first-year student, my workload was easy at first, but then became increasingly more demanding. Fast-approaching deadlines made me realize that I would not be able to keep up if I kept working at my usual pace.
I’ve learned that common symptoms of anxiety or depression can be feeling unmotivated, irritability, random moments of sadness or anger, and even procrastination. I started to focus less on what needed to get done and put my health, hobbies/interests, and assignments on the back burner. A lesson I learned is to pay attention to these symptoms before they become habits and consume large portions of your time.
Seeking help can be difficult because many of us were raised to ignore our mental illness and suffer in silence. It was almost as if it was looked down upon by society.
For me, taking that first step to seek professional help was very difficult because I felt embarrassed and confused. I asked myself, “Why can’t I just get over it on my own? Why are these feelings so intense that I need to speak to someone?”
I was afraid of how I might be viewed. My family didn’t understand, and that made things harder because the support I had during this time was little to none. I experienced a few breakdowns before I started recovering. Even with the fear and misunderstanding of everyone around me, I still utilized my resources and finally found someone with the therapeutic skills to help me deal in a healthy way with my anxiety.
Now that I am older and know how to handle my stressors more effectively, I am pleased with my decision to open up about my worries. I am truly able to navigate through life better now. I have become more self-aware, and I know when to step back when I feel like I have too much on my plate. I’ve learned to focus on trying to maintain my peace and allowing things to just flow.
In the past few years, there has been greater public awareness of the importance of mental health and more research. The conversation on mental health now takes place more openly in schools, at work, and on social media. As a society, we are witnessing the effects of remaining silent about our struggles.
According to a 2021 article from the Mayo Clinic Health System, 44 percent of college students reported having symptoms of depression and anxiety. Managing a workload and a social life can be difficult.
Symptoms of depression and anxiety can include
- Difficulty maintaining a workload
- Loss of interest in the things you like
- Change of eating and sleeping patterns
- Emotional outbursts
- Sense of feeling overwhelmed
- Panic
- Faulty self-assessments
- Lack of energy
Statistics show that suicide is the third leading cause of death for college students. New York Times writer Julie Scelfo stated that young adults are faced with the pressure to be effortlessly perfect and the idea of the American culture of hyperachievement. It seems that there is a ton of pressure on young adults to exert every bit of energy they have to live up to the expectations of their parents, regardless of how they feel.
I have noticed that when you struggle with mental health for a prolonged period, you start to think it is normal, especially if you do not know enough about it or haven’t looked into getting professional help. If you feel overwhelmed and confused, reach out to someone for help. If you need to speak to a professional and would like to find out more ways to deal with stress and mental health, there are many resources on campus and online offered through the St. John’s Wellness Center.
We have all experienced stressful moments; sharing our experiences and helping others is essential. So, before you carry on with your day, review these questions and think about how you can make a change in your own, or someone else’s, life who may be struggling with their mental health:
- How have you healthily coped with stressful situations?
- Have you spoken to anyone about the things you were stressing about?
- How would you offer help to someone you see who might be having a stressful time?
- What advice would you give them to try and navigate what they may be dealing with?
- What are some things you may do to try and place yourself back in a peaceful state of mind?
