1.1 Mental Health

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Mental Health

Estimated Total Reading Time
3 Minutes

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Being mentally or emotionally healthy is much more than being free of depression, anxiety, or other psychological issues. Rather than the absence of mental illness, mental health refers to the presence of positive characteristics allowing you to participate in life to the fullest extent possible through productive, meaningful activities and strong relationships. These positive characteristics also help you cope when faced with life's challenges and stresses.

It is not uncommon for students to experience varying degrees of stress, anxiety, and depression during their time in college, inasmuch as they encounter both academic and non-academic stresses during their college experience. Some examples of non-academic stressors include personal relationships, work life, and family. Even a major life transition such as moving away from home to college can aggravate existing mental illnesses or trigger new ones. Many lifetime cases of diagnosable mental disorders begin in the 20's. For traditional students, this means many mental health issues will have emerged before or during college. Given that academic counselors work closely with students, they should be equipped to work with students who may be experiencing mental health issues. For academic counselors without mental health degrees or experience with these types of issues, trying to assist students with mental health concerns can be overwhelming.

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