Category: Mental Health Issues

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! This national month of awareness and action has been recognized since 1949, as mental health activists and practitioners across the country work to spread the word that mental health is something everyone should care about.

With events, screenings, activities, and more, Mental Health Awareness Month is a catalyst for us to learn more, seek help, offer support, and open our hearts and minds to vulnerable conversations.

How To Celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month

We’ve compiled some ideas for how you can honor Mental Health Awareness Month on your own, or in community with those you love.

We know that this time can also bring up some big feelings, so feel free to take what resonates, and leave what doesn’t! Just know: everything will be okay.

Activities

Attend an event in support of Mental Health Awareness Month.

A great way to spread awareness about mental health is by engaging in events in your community or online to learn more and connect with others who are willing to share their experiences with mental health conditions. On a national scale, you can look forward to Mental Health Action Day on May 19, where organizations, agencies, and brands will come together to encourage folks to get the mental health support they need.

The day before, MTV, in partnership with the Biden-Harris administration, will lead its inaugural Mental Health Youth Action Forum, hosted by Selena Gomez and featuring 30 youth mental health advocates.

You can even host your own event, gathering friends and community members to reach out to elected officials, lead a fundraiser, organize a walk or run, or include a local mental health professional in a forum or Q&A.

Get certified in mental health first aid.

If you’re looking for the tools to directly help others in times of crisis, you should consider getting certified in a mental health first aid course.

Share your story.

Part of spreading awareness means sharing your story and your experiences in a safe way. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) encourages folks to share their experiences with mental health to be shared on their website or social media channels.

Additionally, This Is My Brave is an organization that uses storytelling to save lives. Folks can access hundreds of stories on their website, or submit their own stories to connect to a community dedicated to bringing painful, dark stories about mental illness and addiction to light.

Volunteer or donate.

Use your time, talents, or financial means to support a mental health organization! Whether you want to donate to a national nonprofit or support a community member affected by mental illness through a mutual aid fund, your assistance can make a difference.

Contact your representatives to urge them to prioritize mental health.

You have the tools to urge your elected officials to make mental health a priority! Here are a few things you can do:

• Ask your governor or mayor to formally declare May as Mental Health Month. Mental Health America has a toolkit with a sample proclamation.
• Check out Mental Health America’s State of Mental Health In America report and share it with your elected officials.
• Contact your member of Congress or Senator to express why you think they should make mental health policy a priority — remember, midterms are coming up!

By Learning

Learn more about your own mental health.

Learning more about your own mental health can be one of the most empowering things you can do for yourself. Do this by taking an online mental health screening. You can use this opportunity to seek professional help (in the form of therapy), journal about your findings, or connect with a loved one who may also have experience with a certain mental health condition.

Listen to mental health podcasts.

Podcasts aren’t the same as therapy or counseling, but they sure can help us feel seen and understood in new ways — especially when they’re made by brilliant professionals or folks with lived experiences. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite mental health podcasts for you to get a head start.

Follow creators or bookmark resources sharing reliable information about mental health.

Like we said, TikTok therapy isn’t always the best form of mental health care, but creators, apps, and campaigns can be amazing at using the Internet for good. Trust us; we’ve found them!

Shop around on social media to find reliable creators, or start with some awesome ADHD content creators, this art therapist TikToker, or these mental health apps that help Black Americans.

Read books or articles about mental health.

We’re certain your local library has a wide array of resources for your mental health studies, but if you’re looking for some new approaches, here are a few learning opportunities for you to expand your mental health knowledge:

• This Mental Health Media Guide that is changing the way the entertainment industry tells stories about mental health
• This list of book recommendations that will leave you feeling more hopeful (and with a big TBR list)
• This compilation of good news stories about mental health
• This website, called Find Center, where you can curate a feed of information on a variety of topics, like anxiety, depression, ADHD, eating disorders, relationships, and more.

By Taking Care of Yourself

Create strong self-care practices.

Self-care is a big buzzword these days, but we encourage you to create strong, proactive self-care practices that give you the energy and space to thrive.

Find a therapist.

A great therapist can help you gain valuable insights, provide support and guidance when you are facing challenges, help you confront and heal trauma, and give you the tools to create a life you love. You deserve to find your perfect fit! Good news: we created a comprehensive guide to finding a therapist.

Celebrate good news.

Speaking of good news, the world is full of it! Take it from us, we’re a good news media company that literally makes a monthly print newspaper filled with good news. (And you should subscribe!)

When we fill our brains with reminders that there’s lots of good in the world, it helps us feel more hopeful about the future and encourages us to be a part of creating that better future.

Subscribe to a positive news email newsletter like ours, check out good news websites, and do everything possible to make sure you’re exposed to hopeful news stories on a regular basis.

And, lastly, when you’ve found good news — make sure you share it with others too!

Here are a few positive news stories to get you started:

• Depression Stigma Has Decreased for the First Time in the U.S.
• This Social Worker is Using Sports and Streetwear to Reach People
• These Barbers Are Helping Black Men Talk About Mental Health
• North Carolina Just Opened Their First Peer-Run Respite Center as an Alternative to Hospitalization for People in Mental Health Distress

Consume the news thoughtfully.

Although we’re big fans of finding the good, we know that the news can feel incredibly heavy at times. While it’s important to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in the world, (because the privilege of experiencing bad news through the news comes with the requirement that you use that privilege for good) you can still consume the news responsibly.

Choose who you get your news from thoughtfully. (Our podcast episodes with Sharon McMahon and the founder of Ground News dive into this topic.) We’ve also put together a guide on how to read the news with intentionality.

Try meditating.

Apps like Headspace, Calm, and Breethe make self-care activities like mediation easy and accessible. Give your meditation practice a go this month and see what can happen when you expand your self care toolkit.

By Sharing Resources With Others

Share mental health resources.

Making mental health resources widely accessible makes it that much easier for even one person to get the help they need. When you’re sharing about mental health this month, be sure to make resources available.

Be thoughtful about the information you share online.

That being said, if you choose to engage with mental health stories and resources online this month, keep in mind that these topics can be heavy and triggering for others. Consider adding content warnings to your posts or encouraging others to do the same.

Disability rights activist Liz Sparrow has a great beginner’s guide to trigger warnings to get you started.

At Work

If you’re an employer, host professional events and initiatives that support employee mental health.

Whether this is hosting a stress reduction workshop, implementing new time-off policies, welcoming a mental health speaker, or leading a company-wide discussion, you have the privilege and responsibility to make your work environment safe, inclusive, and filled with resources that support employee wellbeing.

Check out Empower Work, a program that provides confidential support for work challenges.

Empower Work is a nonprofit on a mission to build healthier, more equitable workplaces. They offer immediate, confidential support for work challenges through SMS or webchat with trained peer counselors.

Advocate for or use mental health days or paid time off.

Mental health days are an important tool for all workers to access time off when they need to, while also facilitating important conversations about mental health and burnout in the workplace.

Perhaps this month is the time for your company to roll out company-wide mental health days, or even more generous paid time-off offerings. By prioritizing time to rest, we can boost morale, redefine the modern workplace, and show people we care.

Use your platform or company to advocate for mental health.

Raise funds, release a product supporting mental health awareness, create a social media campaign, publish a blog post, or invest in new benefits that support your team and your community during Mental Health Awareness Month. Whatever you do, we encourage you to use reliable research to make your offerings inclusive and equitable.

At School

Offer resources and information to students.

Teachers and trusted adults are responsible for making sure that students know what mental health resources are available to them. This is a great time to initiate conversations about mental health or remind students how they can come to you for help.

If your school doesn’t have a lot of resources or materials for these conversations, mentalhealth.gov has a great landing page for educators to help get the ball rolling.

Engage in a Mental Health Awareness Month project at school.

Can you hand out lime green ribbons for mental health awareness? Is there a suitable movie or documentary viewing and discussion you can share with your students? What about celebrating your appreciation for school counselors or social workers during this time?

Consider hosting a spirit day in your school to open the dialogue about mental health and engage with one another in a meaningful way.

Support LGBTQ+ youth.

LGBTQ+ youth are at an increased risk for mental health conditions and suicide. In fact, The Trevor Project — an organization that works to prevent suicide in LGBTQ+ youth — found that LGBTQ+ youth who reported having at least one accepting adult were 40 percent less likely to report a suicide attempt in 2019.

There are a number of ways to support LGBTQ+ youth inside and out of the classroom — we even have a comprehensive guide! In the meantime, consider doing the following:

• Designate your classroom as an LGBTQ+ safe space
• Take an ally training course through The Trevor Project with your colleagues
• Sponsor a Gay Straight Alliance or other inclusive club in your school. The Gay Lesbian & Straight Education Network has awesome resources for teachers and students.

Host a Q&A with a mental health professional for parents and students.

School administration and counseling teams can host a forum for parents and students, offering expert insights into mental health.

Choose a topic and host a Q&A style chat for parents with a clinician or representative from your local Department of Behavioral Health. This can also be done for students during the school day, all inviting participants to ask experts any questions they may have regarding mental health.

Educators may consider creating a safe space for students to anonymously submit questions, to keep things well-organized and confidential.

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All of these action items and activities are a great way to get you and your community involved in the conversation surrounding mental health. However, we know that when you’re struggling with your mental health, it can be hard to find the help, support, and community you need.

If you are in immediate need of safety, please contact the following:

Emergency Medical Services
911

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
‍suicidepreventionlifeline.org
‍1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Crisis Text Line
Text CRISIS to 741-741
crisistextline.org

And if you are not in immediate crisis and would still like access to more resources, visit our list of Mental Health Resources for more information.

What is the theme for Mental Health Month 2022?

The theme of Mental Health Awareness Month 2022 is “Back to Basics,” according to Mental Health America. Advocates will aim to provide foundational knowledge about mental health and mental health conditions, providing information to all people about what they can do if they are concerned about their mental health.

By KAMRIN BAKER

“I have seen a lot of benefit from the ERP. There are things I am still working on but I have made so much progress. It’s hard work, but it works, I am proof of that.” – Wes H, Hopewell Resident

“At first it seemed it was unnecessarily difficult, and I didn’t like it. But then over time as the habituation process took hold, my anxiety reactions slowly became less intense, and I could see and feel the benefit immensely!” – Jackson B, Hopewell Resident

Hopewell has been exploring the viability of treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related disorders utilizing the treatment modality of Exposure & Response Prevention therapy (ERP). This initiative came out of our discussions with Dr. Paul Keck from the Lindner Center of Hope during his evaluation of our clinical program and capabilities in November of 2018. Subsequently, we contracted with Charles Brady, PhD to consult with us. Dr. Brady was the Clinical Director of Outpatient Services and the Director of the OCD & Anxiety Program at Lindner Center of Hope and is now the Director of Kitsap Peninsula OCD & Anxiety Services in Washington State.

After Dr. Brady visited the farm on a couple of occasions it was determined that including individuals with OCD and related disorders would be an excellent fit for our therapeutic community model of residential treatment.

Dr. Brady has worked with our clinical team to implement a comprehensive ERP program at Hopewell including providing three hours of ERP therapy a day. There are five ERP groups per week, individual ERP sessions, and ERP opportunities during work crews and on their own as homework assignments. We have implemented this new program with four of our current residents who have co-occurring OCD diagnoses or traits.

This pilot program was initiated with our first ERP group on March 2, 2021 and will continue for 90 days. It has been going very well and we anticipate being ready to formally start admitting individuals with a primary diagnosis of OCD and related disorders by early summer.

Trauma is often thought of as a “deeply disturbing or distressing experience.” By this definition, it is hard to imagine a human being who has journeyed through life without answering yes to the question “Have you experienced any trauma in your life?” For some people, this may be a single occurrence such as a car accident or natural disaster. For others, there may be a life history that includes multiple, complex factors that have led to psychiatric distress, including adverse childhood experiences, abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.

The prevalence of trauma is profound. Many Hopewell residents have co-occurring diagnoses of PTSD or are experiencing trauma related symptoms that require specific consideration and care during treatment.

For many Hopewell residents, the answer to the question “Have you experienced any trauma in your life?” is often “Yes, my mental illness.”

Trauma-Informed Care is thus a critical component of treatment at Hopewell. Trauma-Informed Care is a means of organizationally structuring mental health care services with the supposition that most individuals receiving services have a trauma history whether or not they meet diagnosis criteria for PTSD.

Trauma-Informed Care requires changing the central question of treatment from “What is wrong with this person?” to “What has happened to this person?” [1] In doing so, communities such as Hopewell can find ways in which to create an environment that is sensitive to resident trauma histories and intentionally creates a community of support and understanding instead of unintentionally causing further harm through re-traumatization.

These are the six guiding principles of Trauma-Informed Care according to SAMHSA [2].

• Safety
• Trustworthiness & Transparency
• Peer support
• Collaboration & Mutuality
• Empowerment & Choice
• Cultural, Historical & Gender Issues

It is essential to provide for the physical and emotional safety of a resident while helping the resident learn to trust staff who are providing care. This trust leads to collaboration and cooperation with service providers and increases the likelihood residents will meaningfully engage in treatment services. A focus on resident strengths creates a culture of empowerment and provides residents with opportunities to learn strategies for coping with their mental health diagnosis as well create goals for the future that include sustaining mental health stability.

The Hopewell therapeutic community model creates opportunities for these six guiding principles in all aspects of programming. At Hopewell, we encourage residents to take an active role in their treatment planning and providers do not direct the course of treatment planning—we collaborate on a plan that is meaningful and sustainable to the resident and includes ongoing informed consent. Helping residents orient to staff and to the therapeutic community while encouraging consistency and healthy boundaries fosters a therapeutic rapport that is central to the healing community. We emphasize resident strengths and support residents in recognizing existing strengths while developing new skills with the goal of increasing independence. Staff receive trainings to increase multicultural competencies.

Our clinical team is passionate about furthering their understanding of Trauma-Informed Care both at the organizational and individual levels. Currently, Hopewell has two clinicians who have trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) and see residents for individual trauma therapy.

EMDR therapy utilizes the natural healing abilities of both the body and brain and can be an effective, evidence based therapeutic modality for the treatment of a wide range of mental health diagnoses.

First developed in 1987, EMDR emerged as an integrative therapy with proven efficacy in the treatment of individuals with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). As the understanding of trauma has deepened in current clinical practice and as research into the effectiveness of EMDR has grown, this therapy has demonstrated effective application for many mental health concerns, including depression, anxiety, addiction, and eating disorders.

Trauma can be thought of as an intrusion of the past into the present moment. Individuals with trauma histories may find themselves triggered by present day events and respond to them in emotional, cognitive, and physical ways that are maladaptive or painful—responses that are based on what happened in the past, not what is occurring in the present. An example may be an individual who experienced a car accident and is now unable to drive without anxiety, or is perhaps having nightmares about the accident, or has a flashback when hearing the sounds of heavy traffic. Additionally, there may be a blocking cognitive belief such as “I am to blame” or “I am in danger” that is hindering the individual from moving beyond the trauma. This blocking belief may be interfering with their growth in other areas of life as the traumatic event influences how they view their current life experiences.

EMDR therapy supports individuals in learning new coping strategies for traumatic stress and increases their ability to manage distress. Additionally, it provides a means for helping the brain and body “reprocess” the trauma so that it can be experienced less as a present day state of being and more like a past memory. While it may remain in the individual’s consciousness, it becomes less overwhelming and responses to the memory become less maladaptive. EMDR encourages development and strengthening of adaptive skills and beliefs.

EMDR combines elements of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, free association, imaginal exposure, and somatic experience to help individual’s process traumatic memories.

EMDR is unique in that it does not rely on an individual telling the story of the trauma—an act which in itself, for some, can be re-traumatizing. Instead, individuals work with the EMDR therapist to identify difficult memories, emotions, and cognitive beliefs and then utilize a process known as bilateral stimulation (BLS), often in the form of moving one’s eyes back and forth while recalling the traumatic memory, to engage the brain in reprocessing the memory. It is believed that these eye movements, similar to the REM state of sleep, aid the brain in processing the memory in a way not unlike how we process our day to day life during sleep.

The result is less emotional reactivity when the traumatic experience is recalled and a greater emphasis on personal strengths and resources that the individual can use to cope with distress. Ultimately, the individual is better able to ground themselves in the present moment and live more fully in the here and now.

The validity and reliability of EMDR has been demonstrated by ongoing research and it is a recommended by the National Center for PTSD and the US Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

• Harris, M. & Fallot, R. D. (Eds.) (2001). Using Trauma Theory to Design Service Systems. New Directions for Mental Health Services. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.)
• https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/infographics/6_principles_trauma_info.htm
• (https://www.ptsd.va.gov/index.asp)

All the sudden, you’re in a new place, away from friends and family. Students keep coming up to you, throwing flyers in your face, giving you bins to take up to your new home…one you now share with a stranger. College is weird. And it can be scary ― there are so many new things to deal with. And because of that, depression is the most common health problem for college students. If your depression lasts for more than two weeks, talk to a mental health professional to help you determine next steps.

Struggles of Being a College Student

As you’re coping with this significant life change it’s important to remember that you’re not alone in experiencing these feelings. More than 39% of college students say they “felt so depressed that it was difficult to function.” If depression sets in while you’re on campus, there could be many different reasons for the shift in mood.

• You’re on your own, away from family, childhood friends and the familiar comforts of home. You might also find it difficult to make friends who share the same values.
• College courses are typically more rigorous than high school. You might find yourself falling behind in class even though you never had any trouble completing schoolwork in the past.
• Peer pressure is real, and with the minimal supervision of campus life, it tends to happen more often than it did in high school.
• Excessive social media use can cause feelings of isolation and jealousy.

Asking for Help

The idea of asking for help causes tension for some. Will people judge me? Will I receive the right advice? Will anyone even listen?

Find friends you can trust and confide in your family ― they will have your back during this transition from high school to college. Many colleges also have peer support groups you can attend. Not only will you come away with great advice, but you may also make friends on campus, which helps if your family and childhood friends are far away. If you want to talk to a counselor, your university may have a counseling center or health center available at discounted rates (or even for free).

Sometimes, none of those options appeal, and if you’re ever contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Finding the Right Treatment Plan

Therapy and medication combined with self-help techniques tend to be best for coping in the long-term. When you’re struggling, your family and friends can be helpful accountability resources. They can assist you in regulating your treatment, especially when you’re at home visiting and by phone when you’re away. Continue to build a strong support system of people at college as well as keeping in touch with the people you care about from home.

Don’t hesitate to take a mental health day every once in a while. If you’re not feeling like yourself, going to class and forcing yourself to focus tends to be counterproductive. Use mental health days sparingly but don’t let your fear of missing important notes prevent you from taking the time you need; you can always ask for someone’s notes during the next class.

If these techniques aren’t working and you decide to take a break from college, that’s okay. Everyone completes college on their own timeline, and there’s no right or wrong way. A break from college looks different for everyone: reassessing the decision to attend college, getting a job, traveling, finding a residential treatment center or any number of other options.

Major depression affects college students everywhere. In a different environment with so many new people, events and classes, you might feel overwhelmed (but hopefully also excited for the possibilities). Lean on your parents, your friends at home, your peers at college and mental health professionals to figure out the best course of action for you to cope with depression. So many college students have major depression; you’re not alone in your struggles, and you’ll get through this.

Colleges around the U.S. offer many options for peer groups, clubs and activities. When you’re dealing with mental health issues, it can be difficult to make commitments to these organizations, knowing you need to take care of your own mental health first. Many college students and former college students have tackled that issue by creating safe spaces on campus for students dealing with mental health struggles.

Active Minds

Picture it: over 1,000 backpacks displayed on your campus with hundreds of suicide stories attached. Active Minds started Send Silence Packing® to raise suicide awareness. After her brother, Bryan, ended his life, Active Minds founder Alison Malmon recognized her brother’s story was common – too many students were suffering in silence. Active Minds reaches about 600,000 students every year, educating them about mental health.

It’s not only students that are taking notice; the RAND Corporation conducted a study about the impact Active Minds had on college students’ mental wellbeing. They found that students who knew about the organization were more likely to help friends who were struggling with mental health concerns. The presence of Active Minds reduced the stigma associated with mental health on campuses with club chapters. It makes sense with the current college climate: college students are more open-minded in peer-to-peer settings than previous generations were. Suicide is still a major leading cause of death on college campuses. Active Minds continues to encourage students to speak out about mental illness and, in doing so, save lives.

To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA)

Jamie Tworkowski posted a story about Renee Yohe on Myspace in 2006 – her depression, her addictions, her traumas and her recovery. She was 19 at the time. Jamie started TWLOHA under the premise that everyone is meant to love and be loved. Now with 65 student chapters, TWLOHA educates students about suicide prevention awareness. With the help of his team, Jamie, who struggles with depression himself, has responded to more than 200,000 messages from people around the world dealing with depression, suicidal thoughts, self-injury and more.

Other Student-Centered Initiatives

Mental health is getting demystified. From students posting on social media about their struggles with depression to Instagram accounts for mental health advocacy and inspirational quotes and reminders, college students are effecting change.

There are many other college-based mental health organizations around the U.S. that advocate for those with mental illnesses. NAMI on Campus, a part of the National Alliance on Mental Health, aims to educate college students about mental health as well as promote awareness through events. Emory Dark Arts uses art to cope with mental health struggles while Clemson’s mental health organization – You’re Not Alone – offers a safe space for students. The BEE Daring Foundation, which began at Arizona State University, also works to end mental health stigma.

If you’re feeling lost at college or have a friend who is struggling with mental illness, finding one of these organizations on campus, starting your own chapter of a national organization, or even creating your own mental health-minded group could make the transition to campus life a little easier.

If you are diagnosed with a mental illness while on campus, it is up to you whether to involve your parents in your treatment. Maybe you’re not sure how to tell them or are afraid to bring it up, but parents can be less judgmental than you may think. As you navigate your mental illness, it’s important that you put your comfort first. Talking to people who support you is what matters most. If you feel your parents can be supportive, talking with them specifically – not only a therapist and/or a friend – can give you a significant advantage in recovery.

Find What Works Best for You

First of all, don’t wait – get the help you need right away. You can always talk to your parents or friends after you’ve figured out what type of treatment format works best for you.

Colleges often offer on-campus counseling, a health center, or other approaches that make the college transition easier. Explore all of these. On-campus options may be free or offered at a lower cost than off-campus counselors or health centers. But you may opt for an off-campus option anyway. For students who juggle class and work schedules, off-campus counseling may provide more flexible hours. If you don’t have transportation, consider checking out online counseling.

You might choose to include medication as part of your treatment as well.

Peer groups tackle stigmatized issues and act as safe spaces. Whether you decide on a cultural group, a leadership group or otherwise, many peer groups invite all students to join at any time. These groups are especially helpful when your friends and family are far away.

If your mental illness has become more severe, do some research on inpatient and outpatient programs as well as residential treatment communities. These options are more immersive and can help set the course for a successful college career with your new diagnosis, even if a leave of absence is necessary at first.

How Your Parents Can Help

While any of these treatment formats can be integral to healing, your parents can play a critical role, too. Be open and honest. How much detail you get into is entirely up to you but tell them what your diagnosis is and how symptoms have been affecting you. In fact, if that’s as far as the first conversation goes, that’s okay.

Even if you’re not ready to address ways your parents can support you emotionally, there are some very practical ways they can help.

• Your parents can tell you if there’s a history of mental illness in your family. Mental illnesses can be hereditary, and understanding a family member’s mental health struggles might help you in your recovery.
• When you’re home for breaks, your parents can help set you up for success. If they know your common mental health pitfalls, they can be proactive, recognize what’s happening and take action to bring you out of slumps.
• If it looks like you may need to take a break from college, your parents can contact your college and make those arrangements, lessening the burden for you.

Your Rights

If you want your parents to play a more active role in your treatment such as speaking directly with your provider, be sure to sign a FERPA release of information. If you choose, your family may be able to attend counseling sessions for moral support.

If you do not want your parents to have access to your records, FERPA protects your school medical information and, if you visit a provider outside of campus, HIPAA guards your records. You can choose who gets to see your records, and you can disallow others.

Consider which type of treatment works best for you, take into account your rights and determine the ways your family and friends can help you along your journey – emotionally and practically.

As if 15-page papers and pop quizzes in college weren’t enough, sometimes Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube and other social media sites make balancing your online social life with your true social life tricky. It’s no secret that most people present their best selves online. While photos may tell an idyllic story, they might not tell the full, less perfect picture. There are positive aspects to social media, but depression and loneliness may creep in when you compare yourselves to others on social media.

College students spend 8-10 hours per day on their phones. Fight the symptoms of excessive social media usage by reducing the time you spend on social media sites. Limiting yourself to 30 minutes per day still affords you the opportunity to soak up the positive effects of social media while also avoiding the negative effects of overuse.

Positives of Social Media

Completely removing social media from your life isn’t the answer, as there are benefits to social media, especially for young adults. Social media boosts social skills, increases creativity and opens you up to support groups you wouldn’t be able to access outside of the internet. Online platforms give you the chance to develop positive human contact through in-person meetings as well, whether you want to plan an event at your school or schedule a coffee date via Snapchat. While social media is a powerful connector, it’s important to check in with yourself to make sure it’s not impacting you in a negative way.

Taking Care of Your Mental Health

College can be a difficult transition, prompting mental health issues such as depression or bipolar disorder. The balancing act of school, friends and work can become overwhelming, which is why you might find yourself escaping through your Instagram. It’s easy to ignore signs of psychosis in college and retreat to an online world. On social media, you have more control over what you see – you can unfriend people you don’t like, curate your news feed by unsubscribing from others and ignore messages from strangers. Finding someone to talk to about your mental health plan will help your state of mind if you’re struggling to adapt to college.

In 2017, people ages 18-25 had the highest prevalence of mental illness among U.S. adults at 25.8%. Social media usage isn’t entirely to blame for the high percentage, but social media can be toxic, leading to cyberbullying, less face time and increased comparisons between yourself and all of your followers (which are inevitable).

While major depression is a diagnosable mental illness, some students simply have difficulty adjusting to campus life. For both situations, drastically reducing your social media usage to about 30 minutes per day can decrease both depression and loneliness.

How to Cut Your Social Media Time

You might need to check social media every so often for college events, to socialize with new friends or maybe even for class projects. But try to spend less time on social media by using these techniques.

• Turn off any social media push notifications on your phone.
• Switch your phone to grayscale. When you can’t see brightly colored pictures on social media, you cut your desire to keep checking.
• Check your social media accounts at the same time every day and set limits on how long you can spend on each site. Start by reducing your daily scroll to three times, then decrease as you see fit.

Social media might boost your mood when you’re feeling down but it can also impact you in a negative way. Limit your social media use and opt for interacting with your peers around campus.

As a college student, it may be your first time away from home, you’re meeting tons of new people, and you’re perhaps facing new hurdles with not only grades but also your mental health. If you notice signs of bipolar disorder, lack of public discourse on the topic — on campus or off — may make you feel isolated.

But you are definitely not alone. While our society continues to struggle with stigma and misconceptions when it comes to mental illnesses, there are plenty of celebrities who are speaking up about their own struggles. There are resources for you whether you are undiagnosed or not. And if you haven’t yet found friends or a peer group to talk to, these celebrity stories may help you find the firm, common ground to stand on while you find your footing.

Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato, diagnosed with bipolar disorder as a teen, entered a treatment facility when she was 22 to work on her symptoms. She has spoken openly about her periods of mania, during which she could stay up all night yet sleep 16 hours per day. Demi partnered with mental health advocacy groups to launch Be Vocal: Speak Up for Mental Health, which encourages those with mental illnesses to advocate on behalf of themselves, their communities, and others dealing with mental health issues.

Carrie Fisher

Carrie Fisher – a constant mental health advocate until she passed away in 2016 – openly discussed her bipolar disorder. She fought against mental illness stigma and gave hope to those suffering from bipolar disorder. Her candid response to her public bipolar episode was, “It’s not a neat illness. It doesn’t go away. I’m just lucky this hasn’t happened more.”

Carrie positioned her mental illness as something she dealt with, not an issue that defined her. Although speaking about taking medication to treat mental illness can be daunting, Carrie did so often, showing that people who have bipolar disorder (and any other mental illness) can lead dynamic lives.

Halsey

In 2017 – along with Khalid, Logic and other celebrities – Halsey helped out with the “I’m Listening” campaign, which fought against the stigma of mental illness and advocated for suicide prevention. Halsey was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was a teen, and her mother had bipolar disorder as well. She fights against the concept of romanticizing mental illness, as the ups and downs of bipolar disorder are tough on her, but she says the mental illness has also helped her grow.

There are many more celebrities living with bipolar disorder, including Mariah Carey, David Harbour, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Pete Wentz. Even successful historical figures Abraham Lincoln, Isaac Newton and Charles Dickens are thought by some to have had bipolar disorder!

Celebrity Organizations That Support Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy

In addition to Demi Lovato’s Be Vocal: Speak Up for Mental Health, many celebrities have created organizations to change the way we address mental health stigma. Glenn Close and her family founded Bring Change to Mind after her sister was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and her nephew was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. The organization fights against negative perceptions of those with mental illnesses. Lady Gaga, who has battled depression and anxiety, created the Born This Way Foundation to empower the next generation. From Ariana Grande to Justin Bieber, celebrities are opening up and demystifying mental illness.

You’re Not Alone

According to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI), bipolar disorder affects over 10 million Americans, or 2.6% of the population. Find someone you trust to talk about your potential diagnosis. Remember that your diagnosis does not define you, and you can accomplish any goals you set your mind to, including graduating college.