Everyone experiences stress or anxiety – it’s a natural part of life. The key difference lies in a person’s awareness of when they need help, particularly given the stigma that often surrounds seeking support. Laura Shaw, a mental health counselor at the Stockton Wellness Center, shared insights on the resources available to students on campus, along with helpful tips for managing stress effectively.

“People are typically much more resistant to or struggle with the decision to get help, but we would never expect someone with a medical issue to figure it out themselves. If you break your leg, you’re not going to expect someone to walk around without a cast in order to heal, but we sometimes expect people to just figure it out with mental health,” said Shaw.

Stockton offers a variety of services to support students, including the Learning Access Program (LAP) services for academic accommodations, the Cares Office for case management, the counseling office for therapy, nutritionist services for diet, and support groups. Many students seek counseling for challenges such as academic stress, conflicts with roommates, and significant relational or familial issues. As a result, anxiety, stress, depression, and trauma are among the most common concerns addressed.

There is a clear interlink between someone’s ability to handle the things that are happening in their life – whether it’s anxiety, academic stress, relational stress, roommate predicaments – and their physical health. “Realistically, just like every human being, our mental health and our physical health are so incredibly connected,” conveyed Shaw. “Not just from my point of view, but physiologically, any doctor will tell you, if someone has a stressor going on, their physical health can be equally affected.”

For students who may not want to seek counseling, there are many self-help resources available. These include, but are not limited to, apps, breathing exercises, exercise routines, TED talks, and other tools designed to manage negative thoughts and reduce anxiety. These are often referred to as cognitive techniques. It’s important for each individual to find what works best for them, as different strategies may be more effective for different people. It’s all about exploring options and finding the right fit through trial and error.

College students tend to have unpredictable schedules, making time management a common challenge. Tools like calendars, agendas, apps, and other organizational methods can be personalized to help students stay on track, reducing stress and anxiety around deadlines. Thus, counseling isn’t solely about mental health. “Just sitting down with someone and saying what’s working and what’s not. It’s less about counseling and more about being humanistic and just helping someone to figure out what other options that they have,” explained Shaw.

Environment plays a significant role in an individual’s mental health. “We need to make sure that we’re surrounding ourselves with people that we enjoy spending time with. I’m a huge believer that we’re not meant to be individual – we’re not meant to be isolative creatures. We do better in social situations, although having individual time is good,” relayed Shaw. In addition to social surroundings, factors such as diet, exercise, and sleep all have a similar impact on mental well-being.

Stress and anxiety levels can vary throughout the year, with fall often being the most stressful semester. “There’s a significant number of new students who are either first-year students or transfers. I feel like fall is a very big transitional time for many people starting a new semester,” explained Shaw. “Whereas spring can be really stressful, but there’s a little bit less intensity. Obviously, midterms and finals are huge areas of increased stress levels as well, and we see a lot more walk-ins during those times.”

The counseling service offers therapy dogs on campus during certain times each week, giving students a chance to take a break and enjoy the company of a furry friend. “This normalizes us as human beings. We’re not these counselors that are subhuman. We’re just human beings who chose this profession and really love what we do,” remarked Shaw.

“I think your generation is much more open and carefree about mental health being normal. Mental health needs to be normal,” stated Shaw. Maintaining mental health is essential for everyone, especially students who are still discovering who they are.

“My top advice is for people to get real with themselves – knowing that whatever they need to do to be well is okay. You can’t get help if you keep it quiet,” concluded Shaw.