How Therapy Helped Me Transition to College

When dealing with a mental illness, one of the hardest things to do can be asking for help. Specifically, a teenager with anxiety can find it especially hard to ask his or her parents for help. That was me a few months ago. Actually, it still is me. But now as a college student, I chose to schedule an appointment with the on-campus psychologist.

It was the best decision I ever made.

I knew the sudden changes of moving to a new place and making new friends would not bode well with my fragile mental stability. I knew it was only a matter of time before I started hitting serious low depressive episodes. This time, I actually decided to do something about it.

Of course it wasn’t some quick fix. But I finally took initiative for my mental health. I finally decided to show love to myself in a way I never had before. With that decision came advice, support and a new feeling of confidence I didn’t even know I was capable of.

College is hard already. There’s tens of thousands of life adjustments to face and adapt to. On top of that, if you are dealing with a mental illness, college life can become extra hard to get through.

As my on-campus therapist says, if you had the flu you would go to the doctor. Mental illness deserves the same attention and care. Many college campuses now offer free therapy sessions. If you are struggling, schedule that appointment. Take advantage of these resources. You deserve the care a professional can give.

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