These questions on mental health concepts are meant to give students a basic understanding of definitions, self-care strategies and tools to navigate mental health while a college student. These questions were submitted by students and answered by students and mental health experts.

• What is mental health?
• It is a state of mind characterized by emotional well-being, relative freedom from anxiety and disabling symptoms, and a capacity to establish constructive relationships and cope with the ordinary demands and stresses of life.
• What is depression?
• Depression is a negative affective state, ranging from unhappiness and discontent to an extreme feeling of sadness, pessimism and despondency that interferes with daily life. Various physical, cognitive and social changes also tend to co-occur, including altered eating or sleeping habits, lack of energy or motivation, difficulty concentrating or making decisions and withdrawal from social activities.
• What is anxiety?
• Anxiety is defined as intense feelings of stress, unease and dread. It is a 100% normal reaction to have in high-stress situations and/or difficult times. In normal amounts, anxiety can actually be motivational to change or do something that will change your situation. It is a response to toxic situations and can have a specific trigger. Anxiety always has a starting and an ending point. Anyone can have anxious thoughts; the problem occurs when anxiety controls someone’s life to the point where it interferes with their ability to function or carry out their daily routines. This can take the form of an anxiety disorder; this is characterized by a disproportionate negative response to a given trigger. It can last days, months, and even years in some cases; It disrupts daily life and can often feel impossible to control. If you have an anxiety level that interferes with your daily life, please consider making an individual counseling appointment with UC Davis Counseling Services.
• What does mental wellness look like?
• The World Health Organization defines mental wellness as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” In all reality, mental wellness varies from person to person. One person can have a completely different reality from another, and both can experience mental wellness. Mental wellness looks different for everyone, but It can be generally seen through improved moods, improved performance in daily life and increased resilience.
• How can I practice self-care and maintain my mental well-being (especially during the fast-paced quarter system)?
• The quarter system is one of the most intense schedules you will face in your lifetime. It can be overwhelming to think of all the events that occur in the short period of 10 weeks. The amount of complexity that you have to juggle can take a toll on you mentally, emotionally and physically. Two things that many people swear by are meditation and yoga, which can relax your mind and body. Another really useful strategy to help organize your thoughts is journaling. Journaling is great for helping figure out how you are really feeling because it encourages you to be honest with yourself. An additional way to practice self-care is to add some movement into your day. Many people find that getting a short walk or light workout helps them forget about some of their worries and create some endorphins. The most important thing for many people is getting some alone time with yourself because it allows for time to wind down and really reflect on the day.
• Is it rare or “wrong” to struggle with your mental health?
• Mental Health has been extremely stigmatized in the past and therefore it was thought of as out of the ordinary, ‘wrong,’ or not ‘normal’ to have mental health struggles. However, it is so common to have downs with your mental health, especially today. People in your classes who seem perfectly happy can be struggling with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, etc., and present themselves to the world as perfectly fine and carefree. The most important thing to remember is that you're not alone or a rare case when experiencing a mental health struggle; there are millions of other people going through something similar. To listen to other students, staff and faculty stories, visit the Resilience Through Campaign page.
• I’m worried others will judge me if they find out I reached out for support. What should I know when I feel like this?
• It is completely okay to wish for your engagement with counseling resources to be confidential; reaching out for support is a personal and sometimes private effort! Fortunately, there are many confidential resources available on campus that will protect your privacy once reaching out for support. Additionally, while it can be intimidating wondering what others may think, your mental health journey is your own. It can be helpful to remember that you are taking these steps towards support for valid and personal reasons, and your ability to do so shows great strength and bravery.
• When I’m struggling, I feel like I don’t deserve support when I know others may have it worse. What should I know when I feel like this?
• It’s very common and understandable to compare how we feel with how others appear to feel, to feel empathy towards others’ struggles, and to recognize when we may have some privileges in our lives. However, recognizing and practicing empathy for others’ individual struggles does not diminish the unique experiences we are also having. Feeling in need of support is valid as a reason in itself to deserve mental health support.
• I’m a busy student, and it often seems necessary or expected of me to prioritize my academics over my mental health. What should I know when I feel like this?
• Many students have busy schedules with work, volunteer, and academic responsibilities. It can be hard to fit in time for self-care and mental health support between all of these tasks. However, supporting mental health can make approaching these other responsibilities more manageable. It’s okay to struggle with prioritizing mental health throughout the day. Fortunately, self-care does not have to take up a lot of time or effort. Sometimes, supporting mental health within a busy schedule can look like setting boundaries around sleep time, getting up to stretch while studying or working, bringing water with us to hydrate during the day, meal prepping a snack to bring us when on the go, practicing deep breathing exercises, or checking in with ourselves and our needs throughout the day. Each of these smaller self-care activities can be done while working on other tasks. Additionally, it is okay and mindful to practice setting boundaries around tasks that are draining or asking more than your capacity to complete. While it’s not always possible to step back from a responsibility, when able it is okay to sometimes take a break from tasks that are taking a toll on your mental health.
• How do I empower myself to reach out for the professional support I need?
• Taking the step to seek support can be intimidating, and it’s okay to be nervous about reaching out. Recognizing that you may benefit from support and advocating for your needs shows great strength and awareness of your wellbeing. It takes a lot to take the step towards professional help, but acknowledging your desire or need to go is the first step to empowering yourself to do so. Know that you are not alone in needing support and this nervous feeling of going is okay. If possible and willing, you can confide in loved ones that this is a part of your mental health journey that you will be taking. It can also be helpful to write down some of the reservations you’re having about reaching out for support and sitting down with each of those emotions to understand the nervousness around them. Once reaching out for support, each of these reservations could be starting points to explore with professional support as you decide if the support is comfortable and right for you.
• Can you always tell when someone is struggling with their mental health?
• While there can be some signs that someone is struggling with their mental health, mental health is not always easily visible or obvious to the outside eye. In fact, many mental health struggles are silent, invisible efforts that can be hard to pick up on. The easiest way to know if someone is struggling is to ask them, kindly, how they’re really doing and if they need any support.
• What are some warning signs that someone may be struggling with their mental health?
• It can be difficult to know when someone else is struggling with their mental health, but there are some expressions or behaviors to look out for if concerned about how someone is feeling. These signs could include expressions of unhappiness, despair, questioning purpose, or apathy. Behavioral differences could also indicate that someone is struggling, such as self-isolating, consuming more substances that usual, behaving more recklessly, or experiencing mood changes. If concerned about someone else, the easiest way to know how they’re doing is to ask them, kindly, how they’re really feeling and if they need any support. You can also visit our Signs, Symptoms and Statistics page for more information.
• I’m concerned about someone else. How can I support another person who is struggling with their mental health?
• It’s very admirable to practice empathy and concern for someone else’s mental well-being. Extending that empathy and kindness can go a long way. The most important thing is to be non judgmental, open-minded, and empathetic when kindly asking about how they’re doing and if they need support. Once asking how the person is doing, really, it can help to focus on what the person may need to help keep them safe. It can help to support in restricting access to means that someone could use to harm themselves if they express thoughts of doing so, as well as to explore if they are connected to anyone else who could be a support with their mental health. It’s also okay to recognize when they might need support from a professional or if you yourself do not feel comfortable providing that emotional support. In that case, it is okay to gently refer or encourage the person to seek professional support. When having these difficult conversations with loved ones or anyone, it’s also important to take care of yourself and practice self care afterwards. Check in with how you’re feeling after being there for someone else mentally and emotionally. You can also visit our page on Supporting Friends and Loved Ones for additional information.
• How can I be an upstander at UC Davis in mental wellness?
• Answer: Being an upstander in mental wellness can look like many things. It could be carrying an open-minded and non judgmental mindset with you on campus, reaching out to loved ones to check in how they’re doing, or practicing self-care to support your own well-being. Essentially, any action you intentionally take to support the mental health of yourself or others can aid in reducing the stigma around mental health and being an upstander at UC Davis.