Health and Wellness

What is Mental Health?

The following will describe what it means to be mentally healthy: feeling in control, being confident, feeling good about yourself, managing and expressing your emotions, building and maintaining good relationships, and being resilient and able to cope. We can all learn how to improve and maintain our well-being.

What are some barriers for some people to ask for help?

Stigma attached to seeking help.
Lack of understanding of mental health problems.
Uncertainty of mental health problems.
Fear to disclose mental health issues.

There are many types of mental disorders such as post-traumatic disorders, social phobia, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, post-natal depression, eating disorders, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Know the symptoms of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, ADHD/ADD, addictions, sleep disorders, schizophrenia, relationship issues, autism, and more at Psych Central.

How Emotionally Healthy Are You?

Youtube Video: How Emotionally Healthy Are You?

Below are the central themes that demonstrate how emotionally healthy you are:

self-love,
candor,
communication
trust.

Going To College and Managing Mental Health

Youtube Video Going To College and Managing Mental Health, with Kati Morton

College students face a higher risk of depression since they are managing multiple things in their lives that may cause stress. Here are some tips from 101 Health and Wellness Tips for College Students that may be helpful to you.

Mental Wellness

Expect things to change. Life is always fluctuating, and you must prepare yourself to adapt to these changes.
Get involved on campus. Find your niche and stick to it!
Set goals for yourself. You will feel happier and motivated as you work towards each of your goals.
Keep in touch with friends and family. It is easy for students to feel homesick, so make sure to surround yourself with people.
Take into consideration that it may take time to fit in. It takes time to build meaningful relationships. Do not be hard on yourself during this learning process.

Stress

Give yourself plenty of time. It is easy to push things to the last minute; however, you will find it easier to do assignments if you give yourself more time to do it.
Cut back if needed. With so much to do, it gets difficult to feel productive. Cut off some hours of extracurricular activities to rejuvenate and/or make the workload more manageable.
Understand that you cannot do everything. Attending club meetings, class, sports/activities, doing homework, and more all in one day will eventually drain your energy. Prioritize what you would like to complete in a day in order to protect your energy.
Learn about time management. You can visit A Brief Guide To Time Management for tips.

Exercise

Stretch first. Simple stretches before and after exercises can help avoid any injuries.
Incorporate different kinds of routines in your fitness plan. Don't stick to one routine, and try including cardio, strength training, and stretching routines.
Making it fun. You may get bored with doing the same routines, so find a way to make it enjoyable in order to ensure your fitness session.
Bring a friend(s). This is a way of having fun while working out, and you and your friend(s) can hold each other accountable.
Head to the gym. CSUSM offers a gym for students to relax and get their gains on. Take advantage!

Diet

Don't de-stress by eating. Eating will not make your stress go away. Instead, take more frequent breaks and exercise.
Drink water. Drinking enough water will help you stay concentrated, and it will decrease your appetite to overeat. Remain hydrated throughout the day by carrying water with you.
Take vitamins. If you feel like you are not receiving all the nutrients you need, take your supplements to remain healthy and avoid illnesses.
Vary your meals. Changing your diet from day to day is important for intaking good nutrients.
Limit junk food. Junk food is fast and easy, and although it is unharmful to have it here and there, it should not become a habit.
Make it convenient to eat right. Stock your food supply with healthy foods so that when you feel hungry, it is the first thing that you turn to.
Learn proper meal sizes.

Sleep

Get a full night's rest whenever you can. Sleeping hours for people to feel energetic the next day varies. Some may need from 6-9 hours. Although it is not possible to get the full night's rest all the time, commit to receiving as much sleep as you can each night.
Understand the power of sleep. Not only will a lack of sleep affect your emotions, but your concentration, memory, and immune system. Do not underestimate the power of sleep.
Stick to a schedule. Attempt to keep sleeping times similar so that you have a higher chance of getting a good night's sleep.

Miscellaneous

Keep backpacks from being too heavy. You can have back and shoulder pain problems in the future. Only hold what you need for the day in your backpack.
Wear sunscreen. You are regularly walking to class while the sun is out. Protect yourself and decrease the chances of skin cancer.
Be aware that health concerns differ in men and women. At the same time, their anatomy is similar; in many ways, they are not. Look out for what concerns affect men and women separately.
Assert yourself. Do not allow others to make health and wellness decisions for you that you are not comfortable with. If you do not want to smoke a cigarette that is being offered to you, then don't.

Mental Health Podcast(s)

Health & Wellness Book(s)

On-Campus Health & Counseling Services

CSUSM Student Health & Counseling Services

Effective Friday, March 20th, their hours will be reduced:
Monday-Friday to 9 am -3 pm.

Phone: (760) 750-4915
Fax: (760) 750-3181
Email: shcs@csusm.edu