If you’re struggling with your mental health in college, seeking help is an important step. However, it can feel difficult to reach out to others. Many students worry about “being a burden” or wonder how others may react. But the people around you, including family, friends, and peers, have a huge impact on the course of your mental health. They can help you access treatment and support you along the way.
Understanding how these relationships fit into recovery can make it easier to ask for the help you need. It can also guide you should you need to offer help to others.
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How Family Support Can Help a College Student With Mental Health Treatment
The pressures of college can be isolating even as one is surrounded by others. Based on recent surveys, more than half of college students experience high levels of loneliness. Mental health challenges can further deepen these feelings of isolation, with young women twice as likely to experience a mental illness than men. This is why support from others is so important.
This support often begins with one’s family. Family members can help by simply being available to listen. If someone is considering professional mental health treatment, family members can help with practical details, like helping to answer insurance questions. They can also offer encouragement throughout the course of treatment via regular check-ins. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) shares some strategies for parents and families who want to support a loved one in college. These include:
- Helping loved ones learn and practice skills that can boost their confidence and independence, like stress and time management
- Proactively looking for warning signs of mental health challenges, such as depression and anxiety
- Modeling healthy coping skills and thinking in one’s own life
- Helping loved ones reframe negative thinking and situations
- Staying in touch with check-ins and family get-togethers
- Learning about a loved one’s condition and treatment approaches
How to Talk to Your Parents About Getting Mental Health Treatment
If you have decided that professional treatment is right for you, telling your parents can feel daunting. Even though the conversation can be difficult, it’s an important one. NAMI offers some tips on preparing for that conversation and planning next steps. These include:
- Planning what you will say and how you will explain your experience. NAMI advises preparing some notes ahead of time on points you want to cover. It can also help to prepare your parents for the conversation ahead of time. Letting them know you’ve been going through a rough patch before sharing details can help you broach the subject.
- Choosing the right time and environment. Setting aside some private time for a phone call can be valuable. The same applies to choosing a time when neither you nor your parents are likely to be busy.
- Being clear and specific about your feelings and experiences. Describing your symptoms and how they affect school and daily life helps your parents understand why you are seeking help.
- Discussing next steps with an open mind. Asking for suggestions or assistance with taking next steps can be helpful. You may also consider reviewing online resources together about your symptoms or treatment options.
Your parents may react with worry or surprise. Giving them time to process often helps, and you can return to the conversation later. If a conversation with your parents does not go as hoped, you can still seek care. Your campus counseling center, student health service, or primary care provider can help you get started. A trusted friend or advisor can also support you while you work toward the next step.
How Group Therapy Helps College Students and Young Adults Feel Less Alone
Because mental health struggles can be so isolating, some forms of treatment work by addressing that isolation directly. One such option is group therapy. In group therapy, a small number of people who share similar concerns meet regularly with a trained therapist. The American Psychological Association notes that group therapy is just as effective as individual therapy in many cases. Many campus counseling centers and intensive outpatient programs include group sessions as part of their care.
A significant benefit of group therapy is learning that many of your peers face similar feelings and challenges as you. Many students arrive believing that they are the only ones who feel anxious, overwhelmed, or depressed. Hearing peers describe similar thoughts can reduce shame and make symptoms feel more manageable.
Group therapy can offer other benefits as well. Others may share coping strategies that have worked for them. Group therapy allows you to practice communication skills in a safe, supportive setting, which can help with anxiety around socializing. It can also be highly motivating to see peers making progress with their mental health and recovery.
It’s normal to feel nervous before joining a group. Remember that you are in control of what you share with others. You can begin by simply listening more than sharing. To find a group, you can ask your counselor or therapist for a referral.
What to Say to a Friend Who Is Struggling With Their Mental Health
Just as reaching out for support can be difficult, it can also be hard to know how to support someone else who is struggling. If you see warning signs that a friend may need support, such as persistent sadness or withdrawal, reaching out can make all the difference. NAMI offers some approaches that can help. These include:
- Sharing any concerns in a nonjudgmental way. NAMI recommends framing these as “I” comments, such as, “I’ve noticed you haven’t been acting like yourself lately.” From there, you can check if your friend is receptive to a conversation.
- Asking how you can support your friend. Even if your friend isn’t ready to talk about their mental health, you can still ask how you can support them. Consider ways to help them complete any tasks or obligations. You can also help by making yourself available to hang out.
- Avoiding dismissive language, such as telling your friend to “snap out of it.” NAMI suggests reassuring your friend that they are not alone, and that everything will be okay.
- Following up with regular check-ins. A few calls or texts a week can assure your friend they are cared about. You can also check in with them after their therapy appointments to ask how things went.
Find Support for Your Mental Health at Luna Recovery for Women
Having the right support is one of the key foundations of mental health. Family members and friends can help you access and stick with valuable treatment. This can also give you insight into how you may be able to support others who are struggling. If you’re considering professional mental health treatment, your campus counseling center, student health service, or primary care provider can help you determine what support may be appropriate.
If you are looking for an outpatient treatment program, we are here to help. Luna Recovery for Women is proud to offer women-centered mental health and addiction treatment that empowers women to heal in a compassionate, supportive, and understanding environment.
To learn more about treatment options, please contact Luna Recovery for Women at (888) 491-3722 today.