Seek Professional Help: The first step – and most important step – is to seek professional help from a mental health professional. These include counselors, psychologists, or psychiatrists. These professionals can provide an accurate diagnosis, discuss treatment options, and usually offer therapy or counseling sessions tailored to your needs.
Build a Support System: Surround yourself with a supportive network of friends, family members, and trusted individuals. Such people are well suited to offer emotional support, encouragement, and understanding. Find people that you can genuinely share your feelings and experiences with and please don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed.
Practice Self-Care: Take part in self-care activities that promote physical, emotional, and mental well-being. This includes sufficient sleep, nutritious meals, regular exercise, relaxation, and enjoyable activities.
Manage Stress: Learn and practice stress management techniques to reduce the impact of stress on your mental health. Time management, goal setting, task prioritization, and sufficient down time can all help. Try to avoid overloading yourself with academic or extracurricular commitments.
Challenge Negative Thoughts: Cognitive-behavioral techniques can help you reframe negative thoughts and beliefs that may be contributing to depression. CBT-based tools can help you identify negative thinking patterns, such as all-or-nothing thinking, self-blame, and catastrophizing, and help you replace them with more balanced, healthy, and realistic thoughts.
Set Realistic Goals: Break down larger tasks and goals into smaller, manageable steps. This can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed. And don’t forget to celebrate small achievements and progress. Always be kind and patient with yourself.
Stay Connected: It’s important to maintain social connections and to engage in social activities. Do it … even when you don’t feel like it. Especially if you don’t feel like it. Social interaction and support can help reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Utilize Campus Resources: Take advantage of campus mental health resources. These include support groups, workshops, and on-campus and nearby counseling services.
Be Patient and Persistent: Coping with depression takes time and effort. Be patient with yourself, stay committed to your mental health, and don’t hesitate to reach out for help.
Evolve Counseling Services is Fort Collins’s most trusted therapy practice when it comes to helping college students deal with depression and anxiety. Give us a call to begin a discussion on how we can help bring out the best in you. Serving students (and adults!) in Fort Collins, Colorado State University, and across Colorado via online therapy sessions.
