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Vocalize Mental Health

We need to stop the stigma against mental health - You need to be able to be at peace with yourself and the environment that surrounds you.

Saarika Virkar

Feb 05, 2020

North Carolina State University

https://foundationforepschools.org/mental-health-background/

Mental health is an important aspect of one's well being and needs to be addressed. If we, as a community, continue to sweep it under the rug, we will lead miserable lives. It needs to be discussed normally, in everyday conversation, and not looked at with disgust.

What is Mental Health?

"Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act." (CDC). Good mental health is more than just feeling "okay." Several people, maybe even some of your friends, teachers, and/or parents, might be dealing with mental health issues/disorders such as anxiety and depression. This state of mind can make you feel hopeless on a seemingly happy day, and can mentally exhaust you. Acceptable mental health is defined as the absence of a mental disorder, not just the feeling of happiness. People who have mental health disorders can feel waves of happiness but still have something going on, it is not necessarily the absence of happiness.

What Affects Mental Health?

Many factors, even slight changes in your environment or relationships, can take a toll on your mental health. Our biological chemistry, hormone levels (such as serotonin in the brain), and genetics can predispose us to having mental health issues. It can be frustrating when your own biological chemistry seems to be against you and there seems to be no one event and/or trauma that causes you to feel a certain way. Although we are extremely fortunate to have access to exceptional education, school can become a leading factor of mental illnesses. It can be easy to get lost in the stress of everything around you, so it is very important to take a step back and evaluate different aspects of your life.

How to Improve One's Mental Health?

Leave things that don't make you genuinely happy.
Take time for yourself, and put yourself first (it is okay to be selfish when it benefits your mental health).
Take deep breaths and take life one day at a time, it is easy to get overwhelmed when there are 20 assignments or activities coming your way.
Find something to look forward to.
Prioritize things that are actually important to you and don't just do things because they "look good," because "everyone else does it," or even because you think you are supposed to be doing it. Do what you WANT to do.

If you need help, get help; there is no shame in doing what's best for you.

https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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Vocalize Mental Health

We need to stop the stigma against mental health - You need to be able to be at peace with yourself and the environment that surrounds you.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

No one best represents the struggle like our favorite 90s squad.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

2. When there is only one section of a popular course.

3. Receiving the 18,000 emails reminding you to register ASAP.

4. When you need to see an advisor, but they are too busy/unresponsive.

5. Trying not to dress like a bum for your appointments with your advisors/department heads.

6. When you have a perfectly planned out schedule, and one class ruins it.

7. Carefully moving things around to accommodate a different class/section.

8. Waking up at 6:00 a.m. for your enrollment time.

9. Concocting a new schedule at your enrollment time after your original plan gets changed.

10. Getting into a class and filling the last available seat.

11. When all of your classes finally go through.

12. Realizing that you forgot a class that was a pre-requisite for everything else.

When your capability of "adulting" is put to the test

Nobody deserves to be living in poverty.

"Nobody living in one of the most influential nations in the world should be worried about making ends meet."

What is the current minimum wage at the federal level?

What are the benefits of raising the minimum wage?

What are the states that have set a $15/hour minimum wage?

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Because who understands your bitterness better than April?

1. When you have to provide an "interesting fact" for your first day ice-breaker.

2. When your professor is babbling on and on in his lecture.

3. When you edit your friend's paper and they get an A.

4. When it's 2 AM and you remember you have a test tomorrow.

5. When you finish taking the test and you're pretty sure you failed...

6. ...but then you get the test back and somehow passed.

7. When you've been up for 12 hours straight writing a paper.

8. And then you manage to stay awake in class the next day.

9. When you have to butter up your professor for an extra credit opportunity.

10. When you're assigned a group project.

11. And your group-mates are trying to chat about life instead of the assignment.

12. When it's your last class of the day and you're about to go home.

13. But then you remember rent is due tonight and the anger comes back.

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