Summer is ending, and “Back-to-School” season is upon us. As students set up for the preparation, organization, studying skills, and full-on focus that they must once again put into their studies, things can start to feel a bit daunting, and if this describes you, then it’s important to do your best to maintain your mental health not only during the school year, but as you prepare for it as well. This is because getting in the right mindset before you start anything new is essential to the success of whatever that “new” thing might be.
In the case of a new school year, many students struggle with making time for themselves, expressing their emotions, and juggling the responsibilities that come with going back to school. Additionally, if mental health concerns come into play, these grounding techniques become harder to implement.
Making Time for Yourself
One of the most important things you can do as a student is to make time for yourself… even during a hectic week or busy schedule. When tasks and commitments begin to pile up and you get so in your head about what needs to get done, you forget to take a step back, evaluate the situation you’re in, and take a breath.
When tasks start to pile up and you begin to feel so highly stressed or filled with anxiety that you become unable to continue efficiently getting your work done, take it as a sign that you need to set aside time for yourself away from your work. Studies have found that rest and relaxation can improve information retention and allow you to do even better at your work once you get back to it after some time away.
There are many ways that you can make time for yourself during the school year if you begin to feel stressed or overwhelmed, they can include:
- Taking a walk around your neighborhood
- Scheduling a night in to practice self-care and deep relaxation
- Talking to your loved ones whether in person or on the phone to exchange each other’s thoughts and feelings
- Give yourself a day over the weekend to not have any plans so that you can choose to do whatever you feel like doing on that day
- Make a meal for yourself that is nutritious and good-tasting, and enjoy the time to yourself that you’ll get from picking out a recipe, buying the ingredients, and putting it together for yourself
- Ask for help from your teachers, professors, or school’s counselor
Small efforts like these can truly make all the difference when you’re feeling stressed from school. Once you take some time to yourself, you’ll be sure to feel less tense and more prepared to take on whatever work you may have ahead of you.
Expressing Your Emotions
Expressing one’s emotions can be difficult. Especially as a student during the college years, many people find it difficult when determining who to turn to when things get hard. Since many college students live away from home and usually don’t have the luxury of going home every time they’re struggling with something, it’s important to have a plan of what to do when school begins to take a mental toll.
Expressing yourself is not something that should be put off, as it can severely damage one’s mental health. So, the ways that someone can go about expressing their emotions while in college can include:
- Meeting with a friend to not only talk about how you’ve been feeling, but how they’ve been feeling too so that you can feel less alone
- Calling a trusted family member on the phone to tell them about how you’ve been feeling
- Getting creative and expressing your emotions through a physical means such as poetry or art can be extremely beneficial
- If you have a close relationship with any of your professors, many of them would be glad to talk to you about what you may be dealing with, and they may even be able to propose solutions to help
- Talk to a therapist in your area who is a trained professional on the issues you may be facing
When it comes to expressing your emotions, just a simple conversation with someone who cares can make all the difference. Don’t be afraid to speak up!
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness can be a highly useful tool when you begin to feel overwhelmed during back-to-school season. When things pile up and anxiety or stress levels build, incorporating mindfulness practices in your daily routine can relieve symptoms and set you up for success.
Here are some mindfulness techniques to try:
- Breathing exercises
- Meditation
- Journaling
- Yoga
These techniques are relatively easy to practice throughout your day and only take a few minutes of focus. Utilizing these tools to ground yourself amidst the back-to-school rush is a worthwhile investment that can improve your productivity and leave you feeling better prepared.
Treatments for Back to School Mental Health Concerns
At times, making time for yourself, expressing your emotions, and staying in a grateful state may not be enough to grant you the desired relief of your mental health symptoms. If you’re actively practicing the tips mentioned above and still struggling with anxiety, stress, or other symptoms, reach out to a mental health professional for additional support.
Proactively addressing mental health matters can make a huge difference, especially when it comes to preparing to go back to school. There is a wide range of mental health services to choose from when it comes to anxiety treatment and the best one for you can be determined through close collaboration with mental health professionals. Whether you decide to engage in talk therapy, explore medication management, or look into alternatives like TMS therapy, Neuro Wellness Spa has a treatment for you.
Talk Therapy
Pressures surrounding going back to school can create an increasing amount of stress and anxiety. If you’re struggling to manage these symptoms on your own, anxiety therapy is a great way to address these concerns. Therapy for anxiety typically involves cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), however, Neuro Wellness Spa’s integrative brief psychotherapy program will provide you with an opportunity to engage in a wide range of therapeutic modalities including acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), psychodynamic therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and more.
Throughout the program, you will learn how to manage your anxiety effectively by adopting coping strategies, implementing healthy habits, and working closely with your therapy to navigate the specific challenges you’re facing. Going back to school can be daunting, but with the support of a therapist, it can become exciting again when you’re mentally prepared.
Medication Management
If your anxiety, stress, or mental health symptoms are getting in the way of your daily life, psychiatric medication can be a useful tool to get you back on track. Exploring medication options with a psychiatrist will ensure you find the right one for your specific needs. Common medications for anxiety include antidepressants, and other anxiolytics that can also help with stress and depressive symptoms.
Helping You Prepare for Back to School
We understand that this time of year can cause a lot of stress and potential anxiety, so we’re here to help. If you are someone who experiences trouble coping during back-to-school season, if you’re prone to anxiety attacks, or even other forms of mental illness such as OCD or depression, we encourage you to reach out to us! We offer various highly effective treatment options to help those facing difficult times in their lives.
You deserve to feel your best, especially when starting a new school year because you’ll want to start it off right and go into it feeling energized with confidence and motivation. If that is your goal but you’re not sure where to start, please feel free to contact us and we would be more than happy to speak with you more about how we can help! Our passionate clinical team would love to walk you through your treatment options including psychotherapy utilizing effective therapeutic modalities for anxiety and stress, medication management to address symptoms when necessary, and TMS therapy which stimulates parts of the brain that have been affected by mental health conditions over time. Your journey to mental wellness is only a call or click away.
