May 23, 2022
We are grateful to our college intern, Brittany for sharing how counseling made a difference for her...
YouthWell Team
Rachael, Elise, Ashley
What comes to mind when you think of “self-care?” A spa night at home? Going to bed early? Taking a walk? What about asking for help and going to therapy?
I know that when my journey to better my mental health first began, I was skeptical and a little intimidated by the idea of seeing a therapist, something my parents eventually coaxed me into doing. I also know that my 10-year-old self would never have categorized professional counseling as a type of self-care.
Fast forward 12 years, and I’m incredibly thankful that my family had the knowledge and resources to send me to therapy. Depression is no easy feat to take on, especially from such a young age, nor is it uncommon in youth. According to the The New York Times, in 2019, roughly 13% of adolescents reported experiencing a major depressive episode. Even more alarming is the skyrocketing suicide rate amongst American teenagers, which rose a whopping 40% from 2001 to 2019 and emergency room visits for self-harm rose 88 percent.
While parents have their kids’ best interests at heart, it’s crucial to understand that there’s only so much that families can do at home to help children and teenagers struggling with their mental health. That’s where professional counselors come in; not only are they trained in recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental illness, they’re also experts in teaching cognitive and emotional skills to help individuals continue to improve outside of the office. Therapists can also help improve communication between caregivers and youth.
Counseling not only helped me to improve my relationship with myself, but also with those around me. After all, it’s only once you’ve healed your inner self that you can begin to nurture the connections you’ve made with others.
Through consistent therapy, I've gained a number of skills that I continue to use today. Of this toolkit, I find introspection and emotion-checking to be the most useful; by assessing my emotions, instead of taking them at face value, I can better understand why I'm feeling a certain way and confront the causes head-on. Seeking professional help early on also meant that I had a support system to fall back on during the emotional turbulence of entering college.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), self-care is defined as “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability.” Now, obviously, this goes beyond slapping on a skincare mask and turning on your favorite TV show. Self-care is taking control of your mental and physical wellness, and practicing activities that will ultimately improve your well-being. And for some, that means asking for help and meeting with a therapist.
Check out YouthWell’s Resource Directory for useful programs and services that will aid you and/or your teen in your journey to bettering your mental health. If you have a college student struggling with their mental health, do you research on their school's resources and check in with your child regularly - college can be a difficult time.
Brittany, UCSB student, YouthWell Intern
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