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It’s okay not to be okay: Read about the different ways we can help you!  

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EXPERT ADVICE

By Leon Dong, Clinician at UNSW Mental Health Connect.

What does “self-care” mean? 

Self-care is the act of being able to balance life in a way that puts you as the priority. This includes both physical health and mental health, but the key is to be able to prioritise these things to make sure that your well-being is in a good place. 

Self-care will look different for everyone. For example, a quiet night in might recharge your batteries far more than a night out with friends (or vice versa). For others, exercise or time outdoors might rank highly on the self-care scale. Whatever it may be, self-care is about understanding what works best for you! 

What systems / practices can I put in place to maintain a sense of balance while studying at Uni?

There are many support networks at UNSW that students can access to help manage their sense of balance. Make sure you check out the resources available to you, from mental health support, student support advisors, careers advisors and more! 

As uni students, you usually plan your day around classes and commitments. Much like your uni timetable, it is always good to introduce some elements of scheduling and structure into daily life (outside your classes) which can help with busy or quiet periods. 

Are exams coming up in the next couple of weeks? You might want to put aside extra-curricular activities and balance your study and social life to ensure you don’t get overwhelmed during peak periods. Ultimately, building balance is about looking ahead and planning in accordance with what works best for you. 

What can I do to help prevent feeling too overwhelmed? 

Considering both the above elements, understanding what helps to recharge your batteries plus being prepared by looking ahead can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed, which can happen when we try to do too much in a small amount of time. 

To avoid feeling overwhelmed, it is important to be aware of when your busy periods are – start by checking your course outline as soon as possible once Term begins. This way you can take note when studies are going to be ramping up and plan your time in advance, so the hard work is done early in the trimester when there is plenty of time! This advice can also be applied for busy periods of life (not just with study!) 

How can I take care of my mental health during assignment and exam period? 

Exam periods and concurrent due dates for assignments can no doubt be a stressful time during term. Thinking back to when I was in uni, but also what I have learnt since graduating, I would break these down into a couple of categories: 

  • Physical health: Usually one of the first things to take a hit when we are under pressure is how we take care of our bodies. Like a fine-tuned car, we must be able to care for ourselves and make sure that the fuel we are putting inside helps the whole machine to run at peak performance. Ensure that you are getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and exercising. You’d be surprised at the correlation between our bodily health and mental health.

  • Support networks: Make sure to reach out to those who are near and dear to you and keep a balance of studying and being able to offload your stress in healthy ways. Whether this means spending time with friends, going out for a coffee, or relying on your family, your safety net will provide wonders for your mental health during stressful times. If this isn’t immediately available to you, check out some support resources in your local area or at UNSW. 

  • Time for yourself: Balancing your workload with activities and self-care will be crucial to help you manage stressful periods. As mentioned above, this will be different for everyone; but it’s important to cut yourself some slack and take time to recharge as well. 

How can I tell if my mental health is declining and what are some common signs to look out for? 

Declining mental health can take form in a range of behaviours, often which can be hard to detect on your own. Those who are closest to you will often be able to recognise these things first, so make sure that you can keep a tab with your loved ones (friends or family) and ask if they’ve noticed anything. 

Common signs could include persistent low mood (prolonged periods, not just the tough days), irritability (short fuse, snappy) or low energy (prolonged periods). While the cause of these common signs may come from a range of triggers, if you notice these things happening for a longer periods, it could be good to reach out to your support networks or health professionals. 

 

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I’m worried about my friend’s mental health. What’s the best way I can reach out to them?  

So you’ve noticed there might be something up with your friend. Firstly, well done on recognising these things and being there for your mate!

The key for me is to reach out and simply ask how they are going. It’s important to remember that we don’t always need to provide a solution. Often, listening and being present can be soothing and comforting for someone who is in need. 

Don’t be afraid if you feel unsure of what to say or what to do. Sometimes if the situation is more severe than you thought, it could be helpful to point your friend to professional help – either to their GP, a mental health professional, or an advisor from UNSW.

I’m finding it difficult to switch-off for the day. What can I do to relax? 

Schedule and routine have been found to be extremely helpful in telling our bodies that it is time to rest. Each person can differ in the way they function; therefore, bedtimes can vary from person to person. Determining whether you are a night owl or an early riser can give you a good indication of a regular bedtime that will suit your body. 

A simple routine can be helpful once you determine when you would like to be in bed. This includes wind-down without electronics, which can be complemented by tasks that can lower your stress levels such as reading, taking a shower, or meditating. Following a routine is a helpful way for your body to get the message that it’s time to rest. 

Some people talk about the common problem where they feel their brain is continuously overthinking when they get into bed. Try to maximise time throughout your day for your mind to work out a couple of these “background thoughts” and clear them. This could be setting aside time in the evening to process the events of the day, or form actions to address nagging thoughts that have been bothering you. Some of my other personal suggestions include choosing some travel times (whether walking or on public transport) where you don’t listen to music to allow your mind to think, and not taking your phone into the bathroom for a couple more minutes of “thinking time”. 

What can I do to check in with myself and assess my wellbeing? 

Mindfulness activities help us to slow down and get in tune with what we are feeling or thinking. Guided meditations can be particularly helpful to help us become more aware of what is going on internally. These do not have to be super long meditations! Try with some 1-5-minute guided meditations to get started! 

Journaling is a practical way to visualise your thoughts and help with your mental health “check-ins”. A simple way to do this is to start with the question “What am I feeling?” (Stressed? Angry? Drained? Sad?) and continue to brainstorm from there to help identify what might be going on. You’d be surprised with how far you might get and what actions you can take once you know! 

What are some ways I can make my mental health a priority? 

Tell me if this sounds familiar. “I thought I was okay but then it suddenly came out of nowhere! By the time I noticed my mental health was suffering, it felt like it was out of control”. 

Something that might be helpful is regularly checking in with yourself and completing self-care activities often. This helps to raise your awareness, as well as reduce the sense of stress and feeling overwhelmed. 

Does UNSW have health and wellbeing resources that I can access? 

Absolutely! 

 

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