For a student, the transition from high school into the college world is simultaneously an exciting and stressful process. Anxiety in college students is very common.
You might have procured your textbooks, dorm room bedding, and made a meal plan already, but have you prepared yourself to handle the stress associated with college?
The research by the University of Michigan News shows that out of 96,000 students across 133 US campuses, 44% of students were reported to have symptoms of depression, and another 37% were diagnosed with anxiety disorders. The semesters usually start fine, but when tests, papers, and social pressure to perform well mount, the anxiety of students builds up.
One way to undo the effects of such crippling anxiety and academic stress is to get help from professional assignment writing services online. You can use many other strategies to combat it as well. This article explores in detail the said techniques and strategies. Let’s start with a discussion of the core factors of anxiety in college students.
What Causes Anxiety in College Students?
If a student is having a tough time adjusting to some aspects of college, they may find themselves dealing with anxious thoughts on a regular basis. This can make them feel alone and isolated.
As per Choosing Therapy, here are some of the factors that can cause the perfect storm for anxiety in college students:
- Moving away from home.
- The feeling of homesickness.
- The increased social pressures.
- A pressure to succeed on one’s own.
- The financial responsibilities.
- Independent self-care routines.
8 Effective Ways to Overcome Anxiety in College Students
To combat anxiety, it is always a good idea to speak to someone and discuss your anxious thoughts with them.
A therapist can help you overcome the feelings of self-doubt, cycles of unhealthy obsessions, severe self-criticism, and negative self-talk. Other than that, here are some of the effective ways that can reduce the rates of anxiety and depression in college students:
1. Counselling
The first and most important thing that can reduce social anxiety in college students is proper counseling. You should pair up with a local counselor or with campus health services to work on the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Before hiring a therapist, ensure that they use evidence-based treatment for you. Taking the counseling sessions from the right people can really help you feel much better.
Do not try to keep your difficult feelings to yourself or hold it all in. You should vent your feelings, and once you do that, you will automatically feel much better than before.
2. Meditation
Students who struggle with anxiety symptoms and experience depression regularly in college should try weekly yoga and meditation practices.
The mindfulness classes can really do wonders when it comes to lowering the anxiety in college students and reducing the rate of depression in them. Research by the National Institutes of Health shows that 63.6% of people reported that meditation helped them a great deal to get done with problems like depression, stress, and anxiety.
3. Scheduling
Anxiety often comes from fear, and fears are generally a by-product of making false predictions about academic results, social outcomes, and different career opportunities.
One of the sure-fire ways to reduce academic anxiety in college students is to practice the skills of predictability and make educated guesses about the future.
Mental health professionals often suggest students schedule their study sessions and prepare for the tests to avoid anxiety. They also refer to the scheduling of any kind of academic or social events they have to attend. In this situation, you can get assistance from online assignment writers to help you finish your academic projects on time.
4. Medication
Sometimes, students need a bit more help with their anxiety, and behavioral changes. If you do not have a counseling center on the premises of your university, you should find one near your campus and get proper medication for your condition.
Many colleges offer different mental health resources to students with social anxiety so that they can cope with stress.
5. Sleep
The ideal sleep schedule to follow if you want a reduction in your levels of anxiety is to go to bed early and wake up early every morning.
Sleep medications only make things worse and should be taken only if the physical symptoms of the stress and anxiety are severe and a psychiatrist prescribes those medications to you.
Research by the American Psychological Association shows that adults with low stress levels can sleep better at night (7.1 hours) than those with higher stress levels (6.2 hours). The best formula for sleeping peacefully is making your room as dark and cool as possible and avoiding social media for 1-2 hours before getting in bed.
6. Exercise
Exercise is one of the top-tier ways to combat anxiety in college students, as it stimulates different brain regions.
You can sign up for the sports club or hit the gym at your college. Not only will it help you look physically better than before, but it also lets you get distracted from different types of anxiety on college campuses and classes.
Apart from that, a consistent exercise session also helps you sleep really well, and students’ mental health issues sometimes start to disappear once they regularly hit the gym or play sports.
7. Approach: Don’t Avoid
The Harvard Medical School urges people to be vocal and share the causes of anxiety in college students among themselves. The avoidance of discussing the problems makes the anxiety worse over time, and the sufferings of students increase a lot more.
If you are struggling in college, send an email to your professor for support. Feeling lonely? Introduce yourself to someone in a dining hall. Practice improving your social skills and maintaining steady eye contact with people, and you will feel a lot better about your anxiety.
8. Practice Self-Care
College student statistics show that students struggle to maintain healthy exercise routines, eating habits, and a regular sleep schedule. In 2023, Best Colleges research found that 76% of students reported experiencing moderate to serious psychological issues.
If students start practicing different self-care behaviors, they will observe a reduction in their stress level.
You should try to establish a self-care routine – and it will be best to make one before going to college. Good sleep hygiene is a key to such a routine, and having a consistent sleep schedule also helps a great deal.
Furthermore, you should limit the use of caffeine both in the morning and the evening as it interferes with a night of restful sleep.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that anxiety in college students is a common phenomenon, but that does not mean that students must go through it.
If you involve yourself in different school activities, make new friends, and lean on the ones who can help you with your work, you will feel much better. It is important to connect with like-minded people and have a life outside of academia.
You can also reach out to any local therapist or a campus counselor who can suggest treatment and coping strategies.
Some of the students also feel terrible anxiety due to academic pressure. They can reduce stress and burnout by seeking assignment writing help from credible online writers. The online helpers know their craft and will help you maintain your grades and improve your academic performance.
