It is in our human nature to believe that you can do everything on your own. In college, there is an unspoken pressure to keep your life in order and maintain the “picture perfect” college image, even when you’re falling apart mentally and emotionally. My depression and anxiety have become a part of my daily life and have intertwined with my college experience in a negative way. Although I have found multiple ways of coping with my mental health, including coloring and doing puzzles, I have found that therapy has really helped me with the demands that come with college.
I started to entertain the idea of taking therapy when I realized that it isn’t just for people with extreme trauma or people who have deep emotional scarring from their experiences. I didn’t realize that it was a useful tool that everyone could use to feel better about themselves in any setting. When I signed up for therapy, I didn’t know what to expect. I was nervous I’d be judged or that nothing would come of it. I was also concerned because I was getting a male therapist instead of a female, which made me wonder if I could be more personal with a man.
When I reflect on my time spent in therapy, I love that I am speaking the truth without judgment and that my therapist listened without interrupting. My therapist asked thoughtful and thorough questions that helped both him and me understand why I was feeling the way that I was and how we can take those feelings and turn them into a positive instead of a negative. I also loved that his mentally wasn’t to “fix me” but to help me feel better so that I was able to make my life feel more manageable, allowing me to continue my daily responsibilities.
In hindsight, therapy hasn’t “cured” me. It has been an important tool to help identify the triggers. It helps me with what my therapist calls my “inner critic”. The biggest takeaways that therapy has taught me is that you are not your thoughts. Even though your mind says something that has a negative connotation to it, that doesn’t make it true. Therapy has helped me challenge those thoughts with evidence of the good things that I have done. I also have learned that coping skills are important. Whether it’s using breathing techniques or writing things down, or in my case, doing puzzles and coloring, simple tools go a long way in important your mental health. The most important takeaway is that healing isn’t linear. Some days you’ll feel amazing and other days you’ll feel like you’re back at square one. Progress isn’t a straight line, and it’s important to recognize that there will be good days and bad days and that’s okay.
Therapy is not weakness, it’s strength. It’s one of the most powerful forms of self-care I’ve ever invested in, and if it’s accessible to you, I encourage you to give it a try. I know in some situations it may feel like a “last resort” but anyone can benefit from it. Most colleges offer free or low-cost counseling services for students. Start with one session and go from there. You don’t have to commit to forever, so just commit to showing up, because the truth is, taking care of your mind supports every part of your life. Your wellness. Your fitness. Your relationships. Your academics. You don’t have to carry the weight of college, or life by yourself. There is help. There is hope. And you are worthy of both.
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By: Yamilia Ford
Yamilia Ford is a rising senior at Pace University with a major in business management and three minors in journalism, creative writing, and film studies. Her passion for writing allows her to inspire through her own creative lens, giving people the opportunity to relate to her.
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