[Alyssa]

Jobs and school provide their own unique challenges and difficulties that can invade your personal life. It can be difficult in school to find time to take care of yourself and separate yourself from school. Additionally, jobs like nurses and doctors are extremely mentally draining, often making it difficult to fully relax when you are off.

[Alyssa]

I think it is important to pay attention to the physical signs you may be experiencing .If you are noticing experiencing more physical symptoms like experiencing headaches, feeling more tired than normal, muscle tensions and more. Feeling these signs more often than usual is a sign to take a break. Also implementing studying breaks and a schedule that values self-care and personal time is important.

[Alyssa]

For many culture shapes how others discuss mental health in so many different ways. for example, diagnoses of mental health disorders are different between countries and cultures simply because people experience and vocalize their symptoms differently. Some cultures put more emphasis on physical symptoms whereas others highlight their nerves and “something not feeling right”. Additionally, some cultures view mental health as taboo and avoid discussing it at all. I think this is big between African American culture and common views about therapy.

[Alyssa]

Absolutely, especially with the presence of social media I believe that mental health is downplayed. Specifically, I think social media falsely portrays social media and creates harmful stereotypes. When I want to talk about mental health I often feel misunderstood because people do not understand the depths of it.

[Alyssa]

This is true and it makes me wonder how people are managing their worries. I think an interested conversation can show how stressful this may be for others.

[Alyssa]

unfortunately, social media tends to increase my stress levels. I often find myself during stressful moments using social media to distract myself which makes it worse. If I am stressed with school I will use social media to procrastinate which ends up making me even more stressed. I am happy that when I am stressed out I avoid using my phone in general to really focus on myself.

[Alyssa]

I agree that small acts of self-care can make a big difference to our overall well-being! As long as those small acts are consistent and keep us present then they benefit us. When we are consistent with small acts of self-care we look forward to them throughout the day.

[Alyssa]

I think a driving force for people to seek mental health support is reducing social and self-stigma with mental health. More people and younger generations are understanding the importance of good mental health and different ways it can be affected.

[Alyssa]

Something that I like to do is use studying methods that include breaks, that way I know I am relaxing in between and not burning myself out. For example the pomodoro technique includes breaks between each study session but after a few I give myself a longer break. During the longer break I try my best to not use my phone and get outside or be active. I also like having a night time routine that does not include any school work!

[Alyssa]

I think some common physical symptoms can include shortness of breath, experiencing your heart begin to race, sweating, and feeling chills. I have experienced these as well. Some of the more unique physical symptoms that I have experienced have been picking my nails and spacing out.

[Alyssa]

It is important to research what type of therapy you believe would fit for your, there are so many different types out there. Additionally, it is important that a therapist is actively listening, not distracted and makes you feel validated. You might not be able to tell if a therapist is right for you after the first session, so be sure to pay attention closely to things you like and dislike from your sessions

[Alyssa]

As a student I keep a schedule and routine to prioritize individual time. I like to create a schedule of when I should be studying, attending class and doing homework, that way I can clearly see what my free time is. I like to disconnect during my free time such as working out, reading and hanging out with friends. It is important to me that I am not using my phone much during my free time because I have a habit of checking grades or replying to emails if I do.

[Alyssa]

College and professional teams are now higher sports psychologist or clinical sports psychologist to discuss different mental health concerns with their athletes. Sports psychologist are really good at helping with performance anxiety or building their mental strength to perform better! It is great the sports are now highlighting the importance of mental health, not only to increase performance but also showing that athletes are individuals with their own struggles.

[Alyssa]

I like your suggestion of time blocking specific times that focus on our mental health. I am definitely more inclined to take breaks and practice self-care when I write it on my to-do list or planner!

[Alyssa]

I think that is an amazing idea, especially when you are clear with communicating your working hours. Attending meetings and answering emails outside of your hours directly harm your personal time that is needed!