STRESSED OUT?

HEALTH 101: TIPS FOR A HEALTHY BODY AND MIND

 Welcome Back Bruins!

Whether you are coming back for your last semester or attending your first class, the Center for Health and Counseling is excited to welcome you for Fall semester 2017! 

As you prepare yourself for classes we wanted to share some healthy living tips to ensure that you have a healthy and successful semester. 

Keep your body healthy!

When surrounded by thousands of other students on campus and sharing classroom space, spreading colds and viruses is easy if you're not careful. These tips can help keep you from getting sick.

● Wash your hands. Studies have shown that simple hand washing can help prevent a large number of illnesses. So wash your hands, especially any time you'll be touching your nose, mouth or eyes or if you've been around others who are sick.

● Don't go to class. If you're sick, don't force yourself to go to class. It will only make you feel worse and infect other students. Email your professors that you're ill and stay home and rest, trust me, they will appreciate it. 

● Get to the doctor. If you have symptoms that aren't showing any signs of clearing up within a few days, you may need to take a trip to the Center for Health and Counseling. A simple cold can turn into something much worse if left alone, so seek help if you aren’t feeling any better. And don’t worry about it breaking the bank, a visit to the CHC medical clinic is only $10!

● Drink lots of fluids. Colds and flu can wreck havoc on your body, often depriving it of much needed fluids. Replenish these by drinking plenty of water you’re feeling under the weather. 

● Get a flu shot. With so many germs around, sometimes getting a flu shot is the best thing you can do to avoid getting sick. The CHC offers the flu shot every year at a reduced price!


Keep your mind healthy!

Students can get run down with so much going on. These tips can help you beat the stress.

● Create a routine. If you get yourself in the habit of studying, working out, and sleeping at certain hours, it will be easier to fit in all the things you need to do in a day without feeling too stressed out.

● Give yourself a break. If you've been working steadily for hours, give your eyes and mind a chance for a rest by taking a break. You can come back feeling more refreshed and ready to go.

● Understand you can't do everything. While you might want to go to class, work, play a sport, and participate in clubs and social activities, the reality is that sooner or later you're going to get run down by trying to do so much. Focus on doing the things you truly love and forget about the rest.

● Get help. If you're feeling overwhelmed, feel free to reach out and ask for help. At $10 a session our licensed clinical social workers and psychologist here at the CHC are available to talk at any time. 

● Take advantage of campus resources and programs. The Center for Health and Counseling offers a wide variety of services that can help you destress, including massages for only $10!

We hope you will use these tips and take advantage of the resources and services the Center for Health and Counseling offers. We are always here to make sure that you are able to be your most successful self!

Good luck on your new semester and welcome back!

Back To School Mental Preparedness Kit GIVEAWAY

July is National Minority Mental Health Month. August brings finals from summer semester and "back to school" for fall semester students. We figured we would combine the two for a giveaway kit valued at over $50 - all about being mindful, improving mental health, and loving yourself in all your imperfect glory. And all it takes is a simple click of the mouse.

Like us on Facebook for your chance to win it all! Tell your friends and share your spoils. Bottom line is: August is going to be a good one! The contest runs from July 31 - August 31, but don't wait! Enter today!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Women Empowering Women

Women today are faced with a wide range of issues. The role of the woman itself is rapidly changing in our society. This group is intended to help women process with one another the experiences they have. Topics will be chosen by group members and may include, but are not limited to such things as: relationships, connecting with others, intimacy, self esteem, stress management, trust, gaining a sense of control, relaxation, and support. While this group is slated to run for 6 weeks, it may be ongoing should group members choose to continue.

By Stephanie Sinju

Mindful Awareness

What is Mindfulness?

While many people think mindfulness means meditation, this is not the case. Mindfulness is a mental state of openness, awareness and focus, and meditation is just one way amongst hundreds of learning to cultivate this state.

Although mindfulness has only recently been embraced by Western psychology, it is an ancient practice found in a wide range of Eastern philosophies, including Buddhism, Taoism and Yoga. Mindfulness involves consciously bringing awareness to your here-and-now experience with openness, curiosity and flexibility. Jon Kabat-Zinn, a world authority on the use of mindfulness training in the management of clinical problems, defines it as: "Paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally."

Most people get distracted, “zone out,” or spend most of their daily lives being unmindful or running on autopilot. As a result, they then get lost, anxious, and frustrated when a situation doesn’t happen as they expect it to. Here are some examples:

·         While driving or traveling, you don’t remember the experience or which roads you took.

·         While having a conversation, you’re already thinking about what you’re going to say next before the other person has even stopped speaking.

·         While taking a shower, you’re already planning what you have to do later and then forget that you’ve already washed your hair.

·         While reading, you suddenly realize that you’ve been thinking about something else and have no idea what you’ve just read.

These experiences are common for most of us and are fairly harmless. But for people with overwhelming emotions, being unmindful can often have a negative impact on their lives.

Why are Mindfulness skills important?

·         Mindfulness skills help you focus on one thing at a time in the present moment, and by doing this you can better control and soothe your overwhelming emotions.

·         Being mindful can help you learn to become more connected to yourself, to others, and to the world around you.

·         Mindfulness helps increase self-awareness

·         Mindfulness will help you become less judgmental

·         Mindfulness will help you become less disturbed by and less reactive to unpleasant experiences.

·         Being mindful reminds us that everything changes; that thoughts and feelings come and go like the weather.

Through group discussion and the practice of a variety of mindfulness exercises, the Mindful Awareness Group will help you tune in to yourself, improve concentration, calm your mind, and learn to live in the present moment.

Some material borrowed from:

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Dr. Marsha Linehan, and http://www.actmindfully.com.au/mindfulness

Dealing With Finals Stress During the Holidays

 

Image Credit: 123Life.com

 
No matter your faith, no matter your family background, the holidays will have some emotional impact on you.  Your emotions may run the gambit from joy, anticipation, and love of the traditions to overwhelmed, loneliness, non-belief, and hatred of the traditions. You also may find yourself stepping on both sides of that fence; i.e. loving the traditions but dreading the family dynamics that always seem to push your buttons.  Whatever your experience is, there are some things you can do or some thoughts you can ponder to help ease your journey through the holiday season to Spring semester. 

Acknowledge the life stresses you have.  Most of you will be preparing for finals through Hanukah, Christmas, or Kwanza celebrations. You may be facing some stark realities about your financial state during this time and feel pressured to spend on gifts that just aren’t in your budget as you look at buying books for the next semester.  These stresses are real and are only intensified by a refusal to address them or by telling yourself you shouldn’t be feeling them.  Take time to truthfully acknowledge the things in your life that bring stress.

Acknowledge the emotions you experience during this time. They may not all be pleasant happy emotions but like the weather they will change without you fighting, denying, or hanging onto them.  Emotions aren’t in your control so just recognize them.  A happy byproduct of not fighting with our emotions is they generally become less distressful. 

And finally, seek help when you feel like your demands outreach your skill level.  This may involve seeking out a trusted friend, talking to a valued advisor, or contacting one of our therapists in Health and Wellness.  We can’t always have all the answers or skills to solve our life problems and counseling with a trusted source can help with skills development and perspective.  

Mental Health Screening

October brings around Mental Illness Awareness Week, a week that is dedicated to helping the general public better understand and treat mental health concerns, especially depression.  Why is this week important?  Mental Health America estimates that one in four women and one in ten men in the United States will experience depression at one point in their lives.  Depression can affect anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or age.  It can also be a very serious illness, with decreased daily functioning, negatively affecting work and school performance, in addition to personal relationships, and even suicide as possible by-products.

With these significant risks in mind, it is important to understand the difference between “feeling blue” and depression.  The National Institute of Mental Health states that everyone has feelings of sadness, but that those feelings normally go away in a few days.  Depression, however, is when those feelings do not go away, when a person feels sad or empty most of the day for at least two weeks and loses interest in things they normally enjoy.  Other typical symptoms of depression include disturbed sleep (sleeping too little or too much), irritability or agitation, loss of energy, disturbed appetite (eating more or less than usual, leading to weight gain or loss), difficulty concentrating, and thoughts of death or suicide.

Sound familiar?   Worried that you or someone you know may be experiencing depression?  The SLCC Health and Wellness Center can help.  On Thursday, October 25, the Health and Wellness team will provide free depression screening at the Student Center from 11 am – 1 pm.  Can’t make the screening or just want to talk to someone about how you’re feeling?  The Health and Wellness Center provides individual and group counseling services, including a free mental health assessment.  Take that first step towards a healthier, happier future and call for an appointment today.

Guest Post - Disability Resource Center

The Disability Resource Center is pleased to announce Disability Awareness Week! These events are cosponsored by Arts & Cultural Events, Student Life and Leadership, the Speaker’s Bureau, and FTLC.  Here is a breakdown of the various activities:

Monday, 10/29—Student Voice Project

                11:30-1:00, Student Event Center, Redwood Campus

SLCC Students with disabilities will present an informal panel discussion to share their experiences in our community. Free pizza for all who attend!

Tuesday, 10/30—Musician Jeremiah Maxey

                11:30-1:00, Jordan campus

Jeremiah Maxey is a local guitarist with one arm. Come enjoy some music between classes! Check him out at the following site: http://www.reverbnation.com/jeremiahmaxey

Wednesday, 10/31—Musician Jeremiah Maxey

                11:30-1:00, East Entrance, South City Campus

Jeremiah Maxey is a local guitarist with one arm. Come enjoy some music between classes! Check him out at the following site: http://www.reverbnation.com/jeremiahmaxey

Thursday, 11/1—Free Movie “Music Within” followed by Keynote Speaker, Dr. Richard Pimentel

10:30-12:00, Oak Room, Redwood Campus—Free Movie “Music Within” http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0422783/

12:00-1:00, Oak Room, Redwood Campus—Dr. Richard Pimentel, Keynote speaker for Disability Awareness Week

Dr. Richard Pimentel is a nationally renowned expert on Disability, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Attitude Change. He is an exceptional communicator whose audiences praise his ability to combine information, humor, metaphor, analogy and storytelling into an informative whole that does not just present the information, but really communicates it in a memorable fashion.

The movie Music Within is based on his life story. Richard is a brilliant public speaker with a troubled past, who returns from Vietnam Hard of Hearing and finds a new purpose in his landmark efforts on the behalf of Americans with disabilities.

By: Candida Darling - Director of the Disability Resource Center

Once a Bully, Always a Bully

Whether you are pushed down the stairs, made fun of for your race or constantly receiving put-downs on a social networking site, these are all forms of bullying and they cannot be left unnoticed.

Though most people think bullying stays in grade school, Cyber Bullying Goes to College by Caleb Daniloff proves that bullying continues after high school and is more commonly seen in cases of cyber bullying.

Cyber bullying consists of insults, name calling, and threats of sexual or physical harm.  And though we are now talking about a college level, peer pressure still exists. 

You can see cyber bullying on social networking sites, emails, chat rooms, instant messages and text messages. Because of continual growth in technology, more ways to be cyber bullied are coming up. 

If you feel threatened by someone over the Internet or even on campus, you shouldn’t leave it left unnoticed.  Occasionally cyber bullying can escalate at the college.  You should get rid of the source of bullying and ask someone for help. 

Whether it’s cyber bullying or someone is physically harming or verbally harming you, never leave it unnoticed.  If you are a parent and notice your child is being cyber bullied, don’t leave your child unattended but get rid of the problem by getting rid of the social networking program or block the bullies number.

-Nicole Steinfeldt SHAC student

Mental Health - Let Us Help

Yahoo!  You have finally made it into college and are full of excitement about the wonderful possibilities that await you.  The future looks bright and the world is your oyster.  The doors have been blown open to a seemingly limitless array of positive new adventures: new friends, new knowledge, new romance, new fun, new career, or even the shaping of a new personal identity.  Success is there for the taking!

But things do not always go according to plan.  Or at least, not how you thought they were supposed to go.  And while college is undoubtedly a time when many hopes and dreams are fulfilled, just as commonly, it is a time of having to face up to various disappointments and limitations.  Ouch. 

So, career choices may need to be reconsidered due to lower than expected grades.  Friendships and romantic relationships may end due to betrayal or insurmountable conflicts.  Despite your best efforts, it might be hard to find a job.  And, instead of finding yourself, you may become more confused about who you are and what you want to do.

At such times, you may end up feeling overly discouraged, stressed, overwhelmed or lost.  It might feel harder to cope and you might feel like giving up.  Maybe you find yourself drinking more, or experimenting with drugs.  Or you might find that in many ways you just do not feel like your normal self, or that your emotions feel out of control.  Rest assured that you are not going crazy.  But, you might be suffering from significant depression, anxiety or other mental health symptoms. 

This may be a scary new experience, or one you have dealt with in the past.  In either case, you are not alone.  A recent national survey of college students conducted by the American College Health Association found that at least once during the school year, 93% of students felt overwhelmed, 91% felt exhausted, 79% felt sad, 63% felt hopeless, and 45% felt so depressed that it was difficult to function.

Unfortunately, data also show that many college students who are distressed do not seek counseling or support from others.  Oftentimes this is due to the common, but erroneous, myth that anyone with mental health struggles is defective or weak or crazy.  Actually, the truth is just the opposite.  Those who decide to seek counseling show thereby that they possess good self-awareness, decision making and courage in getting the help that they need.

Besides, counseling helps.  Research shows that the majority of people who receive counseling improve to some extent, and much faster than if they tried to handle things on their own?  So why continue to suffering unnecessarily?  If you find yourself struggling, consider making an appointment to see one of our professional counselors at Health and Wellness Services as soon as possible.  It may end of being one of the best experiences of your college career.

By: Scott Kadera - psychologist