It can be a difficult time. Suddenly, perhaps for the first time in your life, you're moving away from everything familiar to you - family, friends, home, community - and beginning to make your way as a young adult entirely surrounded by strangers, in a new setting. You may feel that everything is on the line: your ability to succeed at college-level work, to build adult relationships, and to adapt to a lot of change all at once.
According to a recent UCLA study, more than 30% of college freshmen reported feeling overwhelmed a great deal of the time during the beginning of college, and Johns Hopkins University reported that more than 40% of a recent freshman class sought help from the student counseling center. So understand that if you're feeling pressure and stress, you're not alone.
Many college students have minor problems adjusting to their new environment. Here are a few ideas that can help you manage your feelings of pressure and stress:
Sometimes however, multitude of the changes and adjustments can trigger depression. If the above techniques do not appear to be working, don't hesitate to seek professional help. If your feelings of constant stress become feelings of sadness that go on for weeks and months, you may be experiencing more than just difficulty adjusting to life's changes. Seek assistance from the university counseling service, student health center, your doctor, or a mental health professional.
Author: National Mental Health Association
From www.ulifeline.org
For more information about the National Mental Health Association's (NMHA) College Student and Depression Initiative, contact:
College Student and Depression Initiative
The National Mental Health Association (NMHA)
2001 N. Beauregard Street, 12th Floor
Alexandria, VA 22311
1-800-969-6642
TTY: (800) 433-5959
www.nmha.org