Graphic by Dani Ramirez
Written by Steven Mynott
Has the news got you feeling down lately? It can be hard to take care of yourself when the world around you feels so full of chaos. Mental health struggles are real. That is why I decided to reach out to a mental health expert. Dr. Kandy Mink Salas is the Interim Director of Counseling and Psychological Services here at CI and she was kind enough to answer some of my questions about taking care of your mental health during these uncertain times.
Q: Who can I talk to if current events make me feel alone in the world?
A: Create a support system. Identify people in your life who will support you and whom you can talk with when you are feeling sad, worried, or concerned about what is going on in the world. This might be family members, friends, significant others or it could be people who are here on campus to assist you, such as a Resident Assistant, supervisor or an affiliation center staff member such as those in the EOP Program, Inclusive Student Services or Student Veterans Center.
Q: What can I do when the world makes me feel powerless?
A: Determine one thing you can do to maintain influence and control. Choose at least one area of your life where you can determine an outcome and feel you have agency and control. Or, if you are drawn towards activism or social justice work, find one thing you can do to work towards your societal goals. Perhaps that is joining a campus club or community group that shares your values. Or writing a letter to an elected official or volunteering for a campaign.
Q: How do you balance staying informed with taking care of yourself?
A: If you are ever concerned about balancing your time between becoming informed on current events and self-care, try conducting a “time review”. For one week, keep a diary of how you spend your time. As much as you can, log the amount of time you spend online and with what type of activity (e.g. Reading news, commentary, current events, podcasts and sites used for entertainment) and the amount of time on self-care (eg: sleep, rest, reading for fun, exercise, time in nature, time with friends, healthy eating). At the end of the week, go back and see how you are spending your time. Discern what you think about your behaviors. Are you happy with how your time is being used? If not, intentionally make adjustments. You can also ask for help with these changes from a friend, family member, or mental health professional.
Q: What should I do when I am feeling overwhelmed by what I read online?
A: Monitor your social media usage. Pay attention to not only the amount of time you are online, but what types of messages and images are you spending time with? What we look at and read online becomes our reality. Be a critical thinker when it comes to your social media diet.
Q: Is there anything else I can do to manage my mental health?
A:Take care of yourself physically. Getting a good amount of sleep and rest and eating food that fuels your body and mind – all of these actions work together to give us the ability to manage emotions and stress. Being physically healthy gives us a good base for the work we need to do. Spending quiet time in nature can also contribute to our mental and physical health and is easy to do here at CSUCI!
Q: These tips all sound great, but what if they are not enough?
A: Be open to seeking professional help. When life and current events begin to interfere with daily living, such as insomnia, inability to concentrate, feeling depressed, disordered eating, etc., know that there are resources to help on campus. The Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office provides free and confidential services from licensed therapists. You can find us in Bell Tower East room 1867 Monday through Friday during work hours. You can also call us at 805-437-2088 or email caps@csuci.edu. Also available is crisis mental health support which you can access by calling or texting 988 or call 855-854-1747. Please reach out even if this would be a new experience for you. You are welcome to try just one session. We look forward to working with you.
