- It's that time of year again.
Back to school.
Ewwww.
And so today, we're going to talk about
how to manage your mental health
while going away to college.
(upbeat music)
I know going away to college can be super exciting,
but it can also be really scary.
And we may have to set up some ways
to best take care of our mental health.
So today, I'm gonna offer five tips
to get you started on the right path
to keeping your mental health in check
while you're away at school.
My first tipe is get your team set up over there.
Wherever it is that you're going to school,
make sure that you have your therapist or counselor,
dietitian, psychiatrist, regular doctor,
whoever is responsible for your health and mental health.
Let's make sure we have it set up where we're gonna be.
This could be calling your insurance company
and getting a list from them.
They'll be able to tell you,
especially if you're moving a long ways away,
they'll be able to tell you in that state or city,
wherever you're at,
who they cover so that we can make sure we keep
your costs low.
This could also be talking to your school,
finding out what kind of counseling center
they have there and if you can set up an appointment.
Another option is asking
your current therapist for referrals.
If you're not moving too far away,
he or she may have some people
that they already work with or know,
had clients who've already transferred over to them,
and they may be able to give you their information
so that you can set up your appointment.
And I want to wrap this first one up
by saying make that appointment.
Don't wait until you're there.
When we start getting settled in college,
and trying to get to know our roommate,
make sure we get to our classes on time.
Do we buy all our books?
There are so many things to think of,
I want making an appointment to not be one of them.
So make your appointments before you even get there.
Make them for the first week,
or the week before school if you can,
so that you already get to know them a little bit,
you start to feel a little more settled
and in your schedule,
before school even starts.
And my second tip?
Talk to your school ahead of time.
Teachers and administrators go to school
before it actually starts so they can get set up for you
and make sure that they're prepped
for the coming school year.
So reach out, ask about I.E.Ps
if you had one in high school.
What's the type that they have at your college?
Are there notes that you can get from someone?
Is there some way to get you some extra support
when you need it?
Talk to them.
Find out how many sessions you get at the counseling center.
These are all important things to know
before we ever get there.
And my third tip?
Keep in touch with your support system.
Often when we move away,
we don't talk to our mom,
or brother, sister, grandma, best friend or cousins,
like we used to.
But if those people have been important and pivotal
in your recovery and your overall mental health.
Take time each week to touch base with them.
Whether that's text, Skype, Facetime, whatever works.
Make time for it because it's important
that we still have their support
and we still are able to reach out and get it
when we need it most.
And my fourth tip?
Bring all your tools.
Every tool that's worked for you.
Whether that's putty, books, journals,
coloring things, fidget toys,
headphones for music, all of your music lists.
If you were like me, you had a huge book of CDs,
but you know, I'm a child of the 80's.
So, bring all of your tools and tips and tricks.
Maybe that's things that your therapist
has given you as homework.
Some of those thought records, feelings charts.
Make sure you gather up all of this
and bring it with you when you go to school.
And my fifth and final tip?
Make sure all your medications are refilled.
I know this kind of goes without saying
but often we get so caught up in packing,
and figuring out how we're getting there,
and who's our roommate,
and did we bring a mini-fridge,
and all the details that come along
with going away to college.
Make sure you have your medication refilled.
And setup at a pharmacy that's close to campus.
Or if you can do mail order,
talk to your insurance and get that set up as well.
I usually have my clients go away with three months
of their prescription if they're able to get that much,
at a time so that it gives us time to get there,
figure out where that pharmacy is,
or how the mail order works,
so that we don't run out.
Because like I've always said,
going cold turkey can be really dangerous.
Withdrawal is a real thing
and that's why we always have to talk to our doctor
before we stop any medication on our own.
Honestly, please don't ever stop any medication
without talking to your doctor.
We never know how it's going to
make us feel mentally or physically,
and so it's really important that we consult
with them first.
I hope these tips were helpful for any of you
going away to college.
In the past years, I've done videos about just going back
to school and my tips and tricks for that.
So I will link those in the description
so you can check those out as well.
And if you're new to my channel,
don't forget to subscribe.
And turn on your notifications which is that little bell
which is next to the subscribe button.
Make sure you hit it so you don't miss out
on any of my videos.
And I will see you next time.
Bye.
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