Frosh Convos: Stress, Anxiety, and Mental Health

College is a huge change, and some amount of stress is normal. It can be hard for parents to figure out whether their student is experiencing foreseeable stress or something else – such as anxiety or depression. This worry tends to kick in around mid-term time, when students are feeling underwater and exhausted.

Checking in with your student on a regular, routine basis can help - and this tends to work best when you have agreed on a communication schedule that works for your student and your family. If you are concerned that your student is feeling something other than foreseeable stress and might need more help managing anxiety, depression, or another mental health issue, your student can contact their school Health Center and schedule an appointment with a health care provider or therapist. In difficult moments, reminders about things that are known to help, such as sleep, exercise, meditation, and deep breathing, might do the trick.

Dr. Jill Grimes, aka “The College Doc,” is a great resource on college health issues. You can find her on instagram.  She offers science and fact-based medical information for college students and their families, including topics that students might not want to discuss with their parents.

Hang in there . . . for many students, first semester of freshman year is the biggest adjustment period and the sailing gets smoother as they settle in!