With winter right around the corner and days getting shorter, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) may become more prevalent, especially in already struggling college students. SAD, also known as seasonal depression, is associated with changes in weather and daylight conditions. This phenomenon can aggravate pre-existing mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety. In addition, the stress associated with the holiday season can further complicate a perons’s ability to cope with SAD. While there are things individuals  can do to help alleviate some of these symptoms, sometimes self-help is not enough.

Balancing academics, work and a healthy social life can be very challenging, especially when other factors, such as family life, are also involved. For many students, the pressure to succeed can become a greater burden than a source of inspiration. Fazy Camara, the former Editor-in-Chief of The Et Cetera, has had to overcome her own personal challenges with the disorder. “I always kind of brace for impact during this time of year because of seasonal depression and how it affects my everyday routine,” she said, “I already deal with severe anxiety, so it’s an added challenge alongside my responsibilities outside of school.” Camara utilizes therapy and holistic methods to manage her seasonal blues better. “Having sessions on campus that are virtual and free, as well as resources for help outside of school, has helped me tremendously. It assures me that I’m not alone and that I don’t have to struggle on my own.”   

Discussing mental health issues with our families can be challenging due to cultural stigma on the topic. However, in recent years, the conversation around mental health has become more acceptable, and access to resources has improved. Dallas College offers a variety of resources to help students, staff and faculty  cope with the winter blues or any other mental health issues they may be struggling with. Students at Dallas College who are 18 years of age or older can receive up to eight confidential counseling sessions every fall and spring semester and up to five sessions during the summer semester. These sessions can be virtual or face-to-face and can help students cope with anything from stress to family issues. Students can schedule sessions by visiting the CAPS office in the B building or emailing [email protected]. Students also have access to a 24/7 helpline, where they can request an appointment, speak with a Dallas College counselor Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and access after-hours resources by calling 972-860-HELP. 

Additionally, Dallas College has a partnership with Dallas Metro Care that can provide mental health and psychological services at a low cost to students.

Keeping in mind that seeking help can be stressful for some students, Jaime Torres, a counselor with CAPS, provided some tips to help cope with the winter blues, such as taking advantage of the gym on campus and getting exercise and spending time outdoors by walking the trail. He also emphasized the importance of monitoring behaviors for extremes, such as sleeping too much or not enough and creating a support network. Torres explains that “it is important to have a support network that will listen without judging.” The support can come from friends or family members with whom the student feels most comfortable. However, if the student finds it difficult to talk about their issues openly, Torres suggested using a mental health text messaging service by texting HOME to 741741.

It is important to be mindful of your mental health, practice self-care and seek support when you need it. 

By Kem Wilkerson 

            Family stress sticks with a person. Constant tension, conflict and invalidation follows students onto campus, into their work, and into their  relationships. Students who grow up in high-conflict households show higher rates of depression and anxiety as young adults. Seasonal shifts make it worse. Shorter days, less sunlight and disrupted rhythms can pull your mood down and, if home is already heavy, that dip hits harder. Young adults and college students are in a fragile space because they’re learning independence while juggling school, relationships and identity. Unfortunately, family tension only adds weight.

In some cases, the parental dynamic is imbalanced. For example, one parent is a dreamer or seeker, while the other parent works and stabilizes the household to make sure the other parent’s world continues to spin.The residual weight can sometimes land on the children, dampening their ability to focus in class and regulate their own emotions.

            Stress from home drains energy and focus, affecting a student’s motivation, creativity and ability to show up. But there are ways to fight back: boundaries, emotional check-ins, journaling and routines help protect a person’s  mental space and keep them functional. Below are three simple ways that may help students reclaim their peace at home. These aren’t quick fixes, but they give a person room to breathe while life keeps demanding more from them.

Breath Reset: Slow inhale for four seconds. Hold for two. Long exhale for six seconds. Repeat this three times. This pulls the nervous system out of panic mode.

Mental Reset: Take a minute to ask  three questions: What happened? What do I need right now? Journal and record yourself talking about what caused the stress. Get your thoughts out without judgement. Set the tone so you know what it is like to advocate for yourself and your feelings.

Space Reset: Fix one tiny thing in the room you are in whether it is throwing something in the trash or opening a window and stretching. Small changes like this give the brain control again. If you can, go outside and get some fresh air.

Audio Reset: Think of at least three songs that bring you back to a time where you had no worries. Choose  your  favorite musical era, let it play as background noise through your headphones and have a full blown concert. Think of it as tagging yourself back into your life, and telling anxiety and stress, “I got this, watch and learn.” 

These activities can be done at any time, alone or with friends on campus. Support is something we need to take more priority in taking for ourselves. Creating habits to relieve stress will allow for Eastfield Bees to cope with stress  and thrive in life.