Photo: Sander van der Wel via Flickr/cc
With midterms and assignments coming up, counsellors at Western University say they’re seeing a spike in the number of students coping with stress and anxiety.
With young people between the ages of 15 and 24 at the highest risk of mental health issues, managing anxiety is a top concern on campus. Support workers at Western’s Student Development Centre say there are some things students can do to help — most of all, getting sleep, exercise, and proper nutrition.
Intake counsellor Brent Scott also recommends students join some sort of a club outside of their classes.
“It gives you something to work towards that you enjoy,” Scott says. “You obviously don’t want to be overloaded, but to have some activities that can distract you from the rigours of your course material [helps].”
“We don’t want to necessarily get rid of all of the anxiety, because it helps us with our performance, and I think that’s something very important for students to realize,” says Scott. “No anxiety isn’t the goal. The goal is to manage it.”
Scott adds that it’s important for students to have a support network in place, whether it be family or friends that they can talk to.
Any students dealing with stress can book an appointment at Western’s Student Development Centre by calling 519-661-3031. Fanshawe students can book an appointment by calling Counselling and Accessibility Services at 519-452-4282.
All students can also call Good2Talk at 1-866-925-5454.
