College is more than raves and bacchanals.
It may seem like students’ priorities align with partying, but they focus on work and studies, too. Even though a weekend rave or five-o-clock drink alleviates the stress accompanying adulthood, men and women feel they’re powerless against their anxiety and depression, specifically when they’re taking a final exam or paying monthly bills. Amy Ebeling told NBC how her mental health made her life a living nightmare. “I was working several jobs and internships. I would have extreme downs and want to do nothing. All I wanted to do was sleep. I screwed up at school and at work, I was crying and feeling suicidal,” she says.
The Problem
The National Alliance on Mental Illness states that 75 percent of people under 24 years old suffer from various mental health issues, which only worsen over time, especially if the proper treatment is lacking in their life. Talking to professionals, whether on-campus or off, is highly recommended. Psychologists and psychiatrists can help provide the means (e.g., therapy and meds) to aid the symptoms their patients feel.
Ebeling says professional help is the best decision she could’ve made. Certified physicians worked with her to process her dad’s death (he died when she was only eight years old), but her treatment plan also focused on her official diagnosis of bipolar II disorder. “‘Then everything fell into place,’ said Ebeling, who is doing well on medication today,” an NBC article states. Even though she felt wary of medication, in general, she now knows the power of proper, clinical care.
The Solution
Before she realized she needed help, the stigma surrounding mental illness cultivated her skepticism, not to mention judgment. However, she, like anyone else in the medical field, encourages other people, whether they’re in college or not, to seek help. It can be difficult to reach out if your loved ones aren’t supportive, but when you’re struggling with your mental health, you must put yourself first.
You deserve happiness, too.