Students should monitor mental health, TSTC counselor says
Summary
TSTC’s primary goal for its students is to place them in great-paying jobs. But to do so, consideration has to be made for the mental well-being of its students.
(ROSENBERG, Texas) – For many college students, gaining an education is an opportunity to better themselves and further their career goals. But doing so can come with a lot of stress and anxiety.
Taking care of oneself and managing stress is critical to a successful life, and Justice Johnson, the counselor in the Counseling and Mental Health Services department at Texas State Technical College’s Fort Bend County campus, wants to help.
“Mental health is just as important as your physical health,” Johnson said. “And it also has a big effect on your body and how you’re able to go about in the world. If your mind is preoccupied with feelings of anxiety, hopelessness and sadness, you cannot perform successfully in school.”
TSTC’s primary goal for its students is to place them in great-paying jobs. But to do so, consideration has to be made for the mental well-being of its students. Too often, people will prolong getting help. While some level of stress is normal for something as important as getting an education, too much stress can end up having a detrimental effect.
Johnson suggests that paying attention to the common warning signs associated with declining mental health can help prevent the worst of it.
“Listen to your body,” she said. “I feel like our body communicates very well when we’re overwhelmed. Identify your triggers and find coping skills to help you cope with the feelings of being overwhelmed, or the anxiety that comes along with it.”
TSTC offers resources for those who may be struggling with the challenges of being a student. Counselors are available to talk to, and many of the limitations that can cause stress and anxiety, such as lack of transportation or food, can be handled through the college’s Advocacy and Resource Center.
Johnson finds that many students view mental health as all or nothing — either they are doing perfectly fine or they are suicidal, nothing in between. But she wants to break down that idea and help others see that there is a whole spectrum of mental well-being, as well as support for wherever a person may be emotionally.
“A lot of people think that you have to be in a crisis to see a counselor, and that’s just not true,” she said. “I think if you start to realize those little changes that are happening once you’re under stress and you start seeing a counselor right then and there, they can help and equip you with the tools that you need to overcome and cope with bigger things down the line.”
For more information about TSTC, go to tstc.edu.
