Mental Health

Establishing hobbies: Research shows that people with hobbies are less likely to suffer from depression. Hobbies can include something social, like going to a fun class, or something relaxing, like scrapbooking. It can also include physical activities like exercise and joyful movement. For more information on those physical activities, check out the Health Promotion and Wellness Physical Activity webpage.

Taking a break: There will be times when you are overwhelmed, upset, emotional, or distracted. When this happens, allow yourself to take a break to regroup. Pausing to gather yourself doesn’t mean signaling defeat. Instead, it’s a great self-care strategy that allows you to better deal with challenges healthily and successfully.

Reflection: Think about things that happened and what you’ve done and focused on lately, and learn from them. Self-care means taking time to evaluate if situations, activities, and relationships in your life are healthy and should continue. If needed, eliminate or adjust these things so your life is filled with positivity and what you enjoy.

Setting goals for yourself: We all have areas of our lives that we wish were different or want to make a change. While some important things in life are currently out of our control, we can make individual choices and set goals no matter what difficult situations and setbacks we may face. Start small. Break your goals into manageable steps, commit to the process, and give yourself permission to grow at your own pace.

Not all goals are created equal. Some are more likely to support our happiness and well-being than others. However, the most meaningful goals tend to have a few things in common:

• Our personal goals are freely chosen by us, not something we feel pressured to do.
• They are approach-based, meaning you’re moving toward something, rather than just trying to avoid something.
• They reflect your personal values and interests, not someone else’s expectations.
• We have control over how we work toward them
• We can feel effective in making progress toward our goals
• Working toward goals that truly matter to you can give your life direction and purpose. It can also help you structure your time, build self-confidence, and feel a greater sense of fulfillment.

Working on goals we’ve chosen and are interested in can give us a sense of direction and a sense of control, and help us to find meaning and purpose, as well as being enjoyable and/or fulfilling. Goals can also help us prioritize and structure our time and, as we progress towards them, give us a confidence boost.

And remember: goals don’t have to be huge to be meaningful. Setting and accomplishing small, realistic goals, like drinking more water, taking regular walks, or journaling once a week, can build momentum and lead to lasting, positive change.

• For more information on setting goals, check out this guide from our Instagram page (@lclark_wellness).

Sleep: Sleep affects your mood. Sleeping poorly may lead you to become more easily annoyed and angry. Over the long term, a lack of quality sleep can negatively impact or affect your mental health. Thus, it’s important to make sure that you have a regular sleep schedule and get enough quality sleep every night. For more information on sleep and how to improve it, check out this resource page from the LC Health Promotion and Wellness Center.

The Importance of Food: What we eat plays an important role not only in how we feel physically but also mentally. Prioritize the consumption of foods that promote a sense of well-being, while minimizing the intake of those that do not. What is healthy nutrition for one person may not be the same for another. Good nutrition will help you feel better physically, but could also improve your mood and decrease anxiety and stress. Nutrient deficiency can also harm your mental health. Eating healthily will ensure that one receives all the nutrients their body needs to live a healthy lifestyle. Certain neurotransmitters (our body’s essential chemical messengers that carry info to all parts of our bodies) are created in our gut, and the production of those neurotransmitters is associated with positive mental health. Thus, a balanced diet is important for our mental health.

Exercise or Joyful Movement: Engaging in regular physical activity, especially movement that you enjoy, can have a profound impact on your mental health. Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and improving self-esteem and cognitive function. It can also enhance assertiveness, confidence, emotional stability, cognitive functioning, positive body image, and self-control.

When you move your body, your brain releases “feel-good chemicals,” which can help improve a person’s well-being. These include:

• Serotonin : a neurotransmitter that connects your brain and body, which can help regulate mood and promote a greater sense of happiness.
• Endorphins : chemicals released by your body that act as mood boosters and pain relievers.

Whether it’s a walk outside, dancing in your room, or playing your favorite sport, finding ways to move joyfully can make a big difference in how you feel.

Connecting with others: Strong, healthy relationships are vital to our well-being. Taking action to build, maintain, and strengthen our relationships can contribute to greater happiness, resilience, and a deeper sense of belonging, especially when you’re part of a supportive community or social group. Close relationships offer love, support, and a sense of purpose, which helps us feel valued and seen, and can positively impact our self-esteem and mental health. Make time to invest in your relationships, whether it’s through regular check-ins, shared activities, or simply showing up and being present.

Looking to get involved? Check out student groups, campus events, or visit the L&C Student Life page to explore ways to connect.

Altruism & Acts of Kindness: Altruism is the unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others and can be a powerful tool for supporting your own mental health. Face-to-face activities, like volunteering at a food bank or helping someone in need, not only reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation but can also offer a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Helping others, particularly those who are facing hardship, can shift your perspective and increase feelings of gratitude. Research shows that practicing kindness and taking time to reflect on it can boost happiness, optimism, and life satisfaction. Small acts of kindness can create meaningful ripples, improving your own confidence, mood, and sense of control while contributing to a more compassionate world.

Compassion fatigue: Compassion fatigue is the emotional and physical exhaustion that can result from caring deeply for others, especially in high-stress or helping roles. When we constantly give without replenishing our own energy, we can start to feel overwhelmed, detached, or even hopeless. It is crucial to prioritize self-care to help cope with compassion fatigue. This can involve taking regular breaks during the day, seeking assistance regardless of its scale, maintaining a healthy work-life balance through setting boundaries, and avoiding overcommitment. Remember: self-care isn’t one-size-fits-all. Find what nourishes your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health in sustainable and fulfilling ways.

Mindfulness and Meditation: Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment and calmly noticing your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without judgment. Practicing mindfulness can help relieve stress, increase self-awareness, and boost emotional regulation. Numerous strategies can help you practice mindfulness, such as breathing exercises (focusing on the breath to anchor yourself in the moment) and meditation (spending a few quiet minutes observing your thoughts without attachment). These can be especially helpful for managing negative emotions and creating a greater sense of calm and balance.

Relaxation Techniques: Relaxation techniques strategies help your body and mind shift out of stress mode. Practicing relaxation can slow your breathing, lower your blood pressure, and reduce stress. Below are a few types of relaxation techniques to try:

• Progressive relaxation - where you tighten and relax different muscle groups, sometimes while using mental imagery or breathing exercises
• Guided imagery - where you learn to focus on positive images in your mind, to help you feel more relaxed and focused
• Biofeedback - where you use electronic devices to learn to control certain body functions, such as breathing, heart rate, and muscle tension
• Deep breathing exercises - where you focus on taking slow, deep, even breaths.

There are many free and accessible resources to help you get started—try guided videos on YouTube or apps like Calm , Insight Timer , or Headspace . Incorporating these techniques into your routine, even for just a few minutes a day, can have a powerful impact on your mental and physical health.

Disclosure: The information below may be emotionally difficult or upsetting for some individuals. Please take caution and be kind to yourself. Also, this content is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional care.

Recognizing warning signs

Mental health is a spectrum, and everyone experiences challenges at different points in life. Mental health professionals often assess the severity of a concern based on its impact on daily life and the circumstances that contribute to it.

While mild concerns may be short-term and manageable, more serious challenges can significantly affect relationships, academic or work performance, and overall functioning. Below are some common warning signs to be aware of that may indicate the need to connect with a mental health professional:

Mood changes

• Feeling sad or “down” for long periods without a specific reason for the feeling.
• Noticeable mood changes from very high, like euphoria, to very low, like deep sadness.
• Excessively worrying about a stressful event or incident
• Feeling empty or apathetic about aspects of life
• Unexplained irritability, anger, or outbursts
• Having trouble relating to others’ thoughts and feelings, or showing empathy.

Behavioral changes

• Engaging in self-harming behaviors.
• Feeling like you’ve “lost time” or have large gaps in memory
• Withdrawing from friends, family members, or social activities that you once enjoyed
• Experiencing delusions, or beliefs in things that aren’t real
• Experiencing hallucinations, or sensory experiences that feel real but are not. For example, hearing voices no one else can hear.

Physical changes

• Sudden sweating, nausea, increased heart rate, or troubled breathing along with intense worry or fear
• Disturbed sleeping patterns, either sleeping too much or too little
• Feeling fatigued regardless of how much sleep you get
• Noticeable changes in sex drive or sexual activity, including engaging in risky sexual behavior
• Noticeable changes in eating behaviors. For example, restricting your eating or binge eating, feeling fearful of foods for no apparent reason, or having body image issues related to weight or eating

Asking for help and where to seek it

It is important to know when to ask for help. Being open to talking to someone, even short-term, can be critical for mental health. Find a trusted friend, counselor, or another adult you trust, such as a teacher or caregiver, and ask for help. This can have long-lasting impacts on your overall well-being.

Reaching out for help is a big step that shows significant courage, not weakness. When you’re ready, there are a lot of potential resources to turn to, though it may seem overwhelming at first. Options include primary-care doctors, in-person and online therapists, support groups, community mental health programs and clinics, employee assistance programs, student counseling centers, and national helplines.

On-campus resources for mental health services:

• Student Counseling Center: Student Counseling Center staff are committed to supporting the emotional health and well-being of all L&C students—undergraduate, law, and graduate (GSEC). They offer short-term individual therapy as well as crisis counseling. The staff consists of licensed mental health clinicians. Located at 012 of Odell Residence Hall.
• Health Promotion and Wellness Center: The Lewis & Clark office is dedicated to a holistic approach to supporting the needs of students in their pursuit of creating and maintaining healthy, well-balanced lifestyles. Located in Fowler 110.
• Student Health Center: provides compassionate and comprehensive medical services that support students in reaching their academic goals and living healthy, well-balanced lives. Located in Fowler 133.
• Case Management: focuses on helping students access the resources they need to be successful while they are at Lewis & Clark. They can support with navigating complicated or difficult situations or identifying resources in the community, such as off-campus mental health care. Located in Albany 206, inside the Office of Student Accessibility.

Off-campus resources for mental health services

• Consider calling an anonymous helpline. While services such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline handle serious crises, it’s not all they do. Their trained counselors have a wealth of information to help find support in your area. The same is true for the Trevor Project’s LGBTQ-focused helpline, the National Alliance on Mental Illnesses’ hotline, and the National Sexual Assault Hotline
• Psychology Today offers a database of therapists, psychiatrists, treatment centers, and support groups you can use to find help all over the United States.
• If you’re comfortable, tell trusted friends or family you’re looking for additional support. Ask for a recommendation from a counselor who may have helped them and ask what the process was like. Was it weird to be in therapy? How does it feel to spill your guts to someone who starts as a stranger? Was the process worth it?
• See if your loved one will help you find resources and sit with you as you call or even take you to your first appointment. Remember that asking for help is about what you need and deserve, and you aren’t alone.