Starting and Staying Healthy as a Ram
Mental Health
Taking care of yourself isn't just about your body. Your mental health affects your everyday life in significant ways. College can be a stressful time, and it's good to have a balance between time for activities and time for yourself.
Stress management
As a CSU student, you have a large variety of resources to cope with stress, anxiety, depression, or other forms of mental illness. Sometimes coping can be as simple as a self care day, sleeping in, or talking things through with a loved one. However, sometimes it can require the help of a professional. Asking for help is ALWAYS more than okay and should be encouraged.
SilverCloud Health is a online program that you have full access to as a CSU student. It offers a variety of programs to encourage healthy behaviors and promote mental health education. You can choose to participate in self guided or coached programs.
You @ CSU is a program created by CSU to help students cope with mental distress. You @ CSU offers programs and creates a safe space to work on mindfulness and working through stress/anxiety.
Counseling
Seeking out a therapist/counselor can be extremely beneficial for self growth and mental health improvement. CSU offers students free counseling through the health center.
Because of COVID, you can do online or phone appointments. Counseling is always confidential and staff members work hard to create a welcoming environment. Even if you haven't seen a counselor before, these services are very valuable and should be taken advantage of!
Sometimes the demand for counselors exceeds the supply, but CSU also offers many programs for group therapy. These workshops and group therapy meetings are usually specialized and create inclusive, welcoming environments. Group therapy can specialize in anything from coping with stress/anxiety to dealing with alcohol or drug addiction. Whatever your own struggles may be, there will always be help offered to you as a Ram.
Mindfulness
Maintaining mindfulness is a great way to cope with mental distress. Life as a college student can be incredibly stressful, not just because of school. You may be moving to a new place or struggling with your social life. Being mindful of your problems, the ways you deal with stress, and the possible solutions can make your life significantly easier.
If you struggle with mindfulness, you are not alone. Many people do, and there are countless resources (inside and outside of CSU) that can help you improve your skills. CSU has curated a list of apps that can help you in your day to day life, but you have to take the initiative to take advantage of them.