I’ve seen a therapist on and off for three years. As a college student, my campus provides free counseling for students by future therapists getting their hours. Since my freshman year (3 years ago) I have seen 4 different counselors.
I’m not sure if this will be a relatable experience or not but I’ll write it as a question anyway: Do you ever feel like something’s just off? Like you’re uncomfortable or irritated or tired and don’t know why or how to fix it? Well, if this has happened to you, my advice is to first make sure you’ve achieved homeostasis before looking towards any other possible reasons and solutions.
Everyone has faced tough, personal decisions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes schools and universities, like the small, private university I attend. Many schools, like mine, are under financial strain, and have decided to risk reopening so that they don’t have to close their doors for good.
It is almost back to school time and I’ve never been more nervous in my life. Normally I’m very excited to go back but all of the safety changes is very nerve wracking to me.
When I was first seeing a therapist and diagnosed with anxiety, it felt like a secret. I didn’t know how to bring up this topic with my friends, it felt like something taboo and embarrassing. I was afraid I would be judged and seen differently if people knew that I went to therapy. When I had to miss class for therapy I didn’t tell people why. I was secretive about it and would hope that my friends wouldn’t ask questions about it.
We all know about the brain and its complexities, but is this the only organ to blame for mental health concerns? I’ve been studying medicine for awhile, but only recently did I become interested in the “second brain.” This is the enteric nervous system (ENS) – the nerve cells lining the entire gastrointestinal tract. Many people are aware of the link between the gut and mental health, but it’s being studied constantly.
I have been struggling lately and I am now not afraid to admit it. With school, COVID, family and relationship problems, I have been frustrated and stressed with so many different things. I have been mentally and physically exhausted. I finally decided, I need to do something about how I am feeling.
As someone with anxiety, I have learned, and maybe you have too, the tool to help you when you are feeling a panic attack. It is to think of five things you can see, four you can hear, three you can touch, two you can smell, (and one maybe taste). This act of bringing yourself to the present moment can be classified as grounding oneself. While very useful, I find that this is sometimes not enough.
As we hit the halfway point of summer (how did that even happen?), the temperatures are probably getting even higher, if they’re not high enough already. If you live in an area with high humidity, it can feel even hotter than whatever temperature is displayed on your watch or phone.
I don’t know if anyone else feels this way, but I’m honestly starting to feel like 2020 is the most horrendous year I have ever experienced. It just feels like everywhere I turn things are going worse than usual and nothing seems to be improving any time soon.
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