College Student Mental Health
College is a time…
of independence and exploration,
of meeting lifelong friends,
of finding your true passion.
College is a wonderful time of….
STRESS!?!
And you are not alone.
Why can college be so stressful?
Many of the things that make college such an incredible time also make it a stressful time. You are finally gaining well-deserved independence, but that means having responsibilities that you are taking on for the first time. It means meeting new people and sharing space with them for the first time. It means balancing the pressures of your college academic schedule with your social activities for the first time.
Why does this matter?
Doing something for the first time is inherently anxiety provoking. And doing something new, when it is a major life transition like college, is naturally even more anxiety provoking. Exciting, but anxiety provoking. And it can affect your:
nervous system arousal
neurotransmitter activity
thoughts and behaviors
anxiety and depression
Let’s Talk Biology for a Minute
At the same time that you are transitioning to college, your brain is continuing to develop in important ways. Your prefrontal cortex is managing the best it can, but we now know that it is not fully developed until your mid 20s.
Why is this important?
There is a part of your brain that deals with stress. It is part of what is involved in your nervous system arousal, or your fight, flight or freeze response. It works together with the prefrontal cortex, the region that regulates emotions, and the hippocampus, the region that gives context to your thoughts and feelings. Together, when working well, these regions help you to experience your emotions and regulate your nervous system.
But life is not that easy, especially during a major transition in your life.
Imagine if your amygdala is receiving messages of chronic stress on a regular basis. Over time, this can put your neurotransmitters at. a place of constant deficit. Dysregulation and disconnection between the amygdala, the prefrontal cortex and other associated brain regions can result in negative thought patterns and worry. This, then, can lead to anxiety and depression.
So what can we do about this?
Fortunately, research has shown that psychotherapy involving mindfulness (Mindfulness CBT) and cognitive restructuring (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT) can:
enhance neuroplasticity
allow for improved connectivity and functioning in the brain.
As such, your nervous system will regulate, which can help improve neurotransmitter functioning.
The skills involving your thoughts and behaviors learned in therapy can further:
enhance your coping
help to reduce your mental health symptoms.
All of these systems work together and affect each other multidirectionally to help you to maintain mental health and wellbeing.
Adjunct medication therapy is an option to improve the outcome of your psychotherapy treatment as well.
Remote Options Available.
A place to learn, grow and connect.
Flexible scheduling to adapt to your academic life.
Castle Counseling is conveniently located in Pennsylvania, where you can receive online services from anywhere in the state.