Mental Health Exists

Let’s be honest Mental Health/Illness is an issue that most students don’t know enough about. Can you blame them? Students are given too much information their first year. Although some resources are shared during our orientation and on our school website, this is not enough. Students are overwhelmed with so much information during orientation that mental health is not even a concern. Some students don’t even know what mental health is. At least I didn’t, until my freshman year when I participated in the town hall. It was an event that I believe is no longer the same as when I participated but basically a group of students from all “Intro to college classes” tried to figure out a way to minimize mental illness or a way to help those with mental illness. It was pretty awesome! It was here when I learned that most students suffer from mental unhealthiness due in part to the culture shock they are exposed to as first year students, among many other reasons.

But what is mental illness? A mental illness is a disorder that can affect one’s mood, one’s thinking, and even one’s behavior, depending on the severity of the disorder. Stress alone can cause mental illnesses such as anxiety, mood swings, and even eating disorders. And stress is the number one issue all students deal with through their college years. Fortunately, Cal State LA provides plenty of resources to help combat stress and turn mental unhealthiness into mental wellness. Although they have many resources, the one that helps me the most is the reflection room. Many people don’t know about it but, this room is located on the 3^rd floor of the Student Union. This a quiet place, where no conversations or the use of electronics is allowed. It’s a safe space to escape from our busy lives and just sit down and breathe and meditate. If you’re ever feeling down, anxious, or just overwhelmed with life, this is the place to go. Don’t let stress or mental unhealthiness be the reason you don’t succeed in college, instead use the resources available to you and make the best of your college experience!