Got the College Blues?
You are not alone. Symptoms of anxiety and depression are becoming more common in college students. College students are under a tremendous amount of pressure from family, peers, and the intuitions themselves. There are other factors that come into play as well including adjustment to a new environment, the influx of technology and social media, and the overwhelming amount of work that is required.
The Nation College Health Assessment discovered through surveying college students the following statistics:
- 85% of college students expressed that they felt overwhelmed by everything that they were required to do over the last year.
- 30% of college students reported that stress negatively affected their academic performance.
- 41.6% reported that anxiety was their top concern. (1,2)
What is your dream? We all have them. What is the reason you chose to further your education? Maybe you want to become an architect and build unique tiny houses. Maybe you are interested in nursing or psychology because you want to help people in need. Somehow the dream or the end goal gets lost in the fight to get through the day. You have a looming deadline for a project or a big test coming up. You look at your to-do list and the anxiety starts to feel overwhelming. In fact you may even feel completely frozen and cannot even think of how to get started.
The truth is that what is likely creating anxiety and depressive symptoms are probably out of your reach. The unconscious mind is the shadow part of the mind that is just outside of our awareness. The unconscious is responsible for most of our emotional triggers and our behavior. Our unconscious holds beliefs that we have acquired over the course of our lifetime.
Maybe these are messages that you received from parents or teacher when you were younger. Often times these are limiting beliefs that are fueling your feelings of anxiety and depression. For example, you could hold a belief that states, “I am not a good test taker” or “I am bad at time management.” And no matter how hard you try these beliefs create uncomfortable feelings inside that can sabotage your success.
Most universities have college counselors that can provide support. There are also techniques that you can apply to overcome these obstacles and find relief from uncomfortable feelings. Mindfulness practices and self-hypnosis are a wonderful ways to relax your body and calm your mind. Mindfulness does not have to mean long hours of meditation. Mindfulness practices can merely be a walk in a nearby park.
Walk in Nature
Go for a walk in nature. Walking in nature is therapeutic in many ways. It allows you to put your attention into body awareness and can allow you to turn your attention away from persistent negative thoughts and emotions.
Engage your awareness in your body. As you begin your walk in nature notice your breathing.
- Take some deep breaths.
- Become aware of your feet.
- Feel the air or the wind on your skin.
- Engage all your senses.
Nature walks can be a complete stress relief. Leave your worries at home and allow yourself to just “be.” It sounds so simple and it is.
Self-Hypnosis
Self-hypnosis is another powerful tool that can assist you with overcoming depression and anxiety. Self-hypnosis utilizes the relaxed state of mind similar to mindfulness practices. Self-hypnosis can help you address some of the blocks that lie deep in the unconscious. Over time and with practice you will notice that your feelings change and your motivation increases. Often times there is a sense of helplessness that can accompany depression and anxiety.
Self-hypnosis is empowering because you are in control. A simple self-hypnosis exercised utilized daily can allow you to
- change your thinking
- eliminate bad habits
- increase your motivation
- increase your self-esteem
- achieve your goals
Once your body and mind are in a relaxed state you can concentrate on your goal and focus on positive affirmative statements like “I am a success. Studying is easy and enjoyable.” Once you get the hang of it you will notice that you feel more at peace and an increase in confidence. You are far more powerful than you even know. By gaining inner resources you will discover a life that is peaceful and in balance. For additional assistance and resources please visit:
