Due to stigma, risk of discrimination, financial burden, and other factors, many do not seek mental health support. If you can not or do not want to see a trained professional, OARS has self-service resources available that do not replace providers, but can provide support.
We value helping students understand how the brain works, and how trauma and other mental health experiences inform beliefs and behaviors. The more you understand about how your brain works, the less scary and more managable things might seem.
Also, even if these conditions don't affect you directly, they might affect a loved one, or a community member, so this knowledge can help us all understand and support each other better.
Check out these guides from the UK National Health Service on a wide variety of topics from shyness, to anger, to chronic pain.
Also, here is a guide called "What is Complex Trauma? A Resource Guide for Youth and Those Who Care About Them" by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Don't let the title put you off, this guide being for youth just means it's written in clear language and is interactive in helpful ways.
Over 1/4 of our student body disclosed a disability to The Office of Accessibility Resources & Services (OARS) in 2016-2017, and 42% were mental health diagnoses. Because there are many reasons why someone would choose not to disclose, we know there are likely many more people on our campus who live with disabilities. Check out the OARS website to learn more about the services available to you, or if you have accommodations but are having trouble navigating them, check out Using Your Accommodations: A Guide for Students.
Everyone has mental health needs. Some of our needs are similar, and some are different. The most common struggles reported on campus are trauma, anxiety, and depression. There are many support options available. Some are clinical, like Health & Counseling and off-campus providers, some are wellness oriented like The Holistic Learning Program & The Wellness Center. Some are spiritual like The Peer Chaplains and Spiritual Life, and some are identity-focused and more adjacent to mental health like The Cultural Center peer mentorship program, the Queer Community Alliance Center (QCAC), and the Center for Feminisms. There is also a team for issues with sexual respect with clear designations of confidentiality.
