There are many things about college that can provide even the most well-rounded student an unwanted reality check. When this happens, you might want to think about making sure that your mental health is positive. The best way to do this is to speak to a therapist. A therapist will be able to work with you on a treatment plan, and you can talk to them about the things that are causing you anxiety and stress. Keep reading for a look at 7 ways in which therapy can help you get back on track when you are struggling at school.
- Getting your routine in check. One of the most overwhelming things about college might be that you have to make sure you get everything done and in the time that is available to you. As a new college student, it can be overwhelming since you have likely been met with a great amount of both freedom and duties at the same time. If you are able to talk to a therapist about this thing, they should be able to offer advice on how to make your schedule work and prevent burnout.
- Having someone to talk to. Depending on where you decided to attend school, you may have embarked on a journey by yourself and don’t know many people in your area. If this is the case, it can take a while before you are able to become friendly or trust someone enough to be able to talk to them and vent. A therapist is a great resource when it comes to talking about the issues you are facing, and what’s even better is that they may be able to offer you perspective on how to alleviate certain problems.
- Taking the proper medicines if need be. Besides just being able to talk to a therapist, they will be able to pinpoint if there is something else going on with you. For example, if you have symptoms of depression or an anxiety condition, they will be able to offer treatment, and if it is necessary, they can offer you medicines that might be able to lessen certain symptoms that are affecting you. This can be helpful for you and might help you stay more focused on school, instead of having to worry about some of your most severe symptoms.
- Help building life-long skills. A therapist can also work with you on specific treatment plans, depending on what you are experiencing. With some types of treatments, including things like cognitive processing, the goal is to learn how to respond differently when faced with certain situations. You can find out more about this technique here, as well as information on how it relates to PTSD treatment.
- Offers techniques to help you cope with school. Even if you aren’t affected by a certain disorder or condition, you can still see relief when you talk to a therapist. They may be able to help you when it comes to things like test anxiety, getting along with roommates, and other things that seem insignificant, but are actually serious when you are at school.
- Can help you work through trauma. In some cases, you may not be able to take advantage of therapy until you are away from your family. If you are someone that has experienced trauma and might have needed therapy for years, there is no wrong time to take advantage. For example, even if you went through trauma as a child, therapy may still be able to help you lessen symptoms and work through aspects and thoughts that are affecting you negatively as an adult.
- May aid you in meeting goals. You will need to determine what you want to accomplish when you are meeting with a therapist. In some cases, you may just need to talk about things that are happening to you, or you might have high levels of anxiety that you want to work through. No matter what is concerning you, a therapist will be able to offer you professional advice and help you work through the things that are concerning you most. This can set the tone for continuing with therapy as you get older as well.
Talking to a Therapist
You may be wondering where to find a therapist when you are in college. There is a chance that there are therapy services on your campus. In some cases, you will be able to take care of mental health help at discounted or affordable rates, and if this is so, you should take advantage of them if you want to. You can check on your school’s website to find out where the mental health services are located or talk to other students you are familiar with for more information.
If you do not have these services on campus, you may want to turn to online therapy. This is a type of service that pretty much anyone can count on. It involves simply downloading an app on your phone and working with a therapist from the privacy of your room. This is also a cost-effective option, which can be helpful if you are on a budget. Keep in mind that you are able to work with your therapist at times that are convenient to you, even if you are on an unusual schedule. A 2020 study states that using both face-to-face and online therapy may be able to provide the most help when it comes to aiding college students.
Overview
There are many ways in which therapy could help keep a college student on track. It doesn’t really matter what symptoms are affecting you or why you want to meet with a therapist, since there is a chance they will be able to assist you. Make sure that you seek out professional help as soon as you feel like you may need it and remember that there are a couple of options when it comes to finding therapy that works for you, your finances, and your schedule.
