From Us to You

Introduction by Kate Lawless, Deputy Editor Quotes shared by the Moda Community Illustrated by Channing Smith, Art Director

There are many articles about mental illness, both in our publication and others. In the last decade, we have seen a shift away from the stigmatization of talking about mental health to a growing movement where people can share their experiences and emotions, whether that be in person or online. While mental illness is nothing new, we are at a point in history where resources and tools are becoming more understood and accessible. Diagnoses on college campuses are increasing every year as more and more people are coming forward and asking for help.1 This article is your sign to do so too. This month, we asked our staff to anonymously share the best advice they have gotten from their therapists that they think will help other people who are struggling. Going to therapy is a normal part of caring for one’s mental health and we want to destigmatize this act of self-care. Viewing therapy as a form of health care instead of something trivial or unnecessary is an important step every person should consider taking.We hope these quotes can give our readers a little comfort in knowing that everyone faces challenges and that there are people who are thinking of you and willing to listen.

As always, we encourage you to reach out to family and friends if you are struggling with your mental health. We especially encourage you to seek professional help using hotlines, university services, local support groups, online support communities and therapists, if possible. Your life and your happiness matters and we hope that Moda, and this article will remind you that you are a loved member of our campus community.

1 Steven Reinberg, “More College Students Seeking Mental Health Care,” Consumer HealthDay, October 25, 2018.

There are no positive or negative emotions. Just responses to the world around you. You aren’t a bad person for feeling sad, frustrated or angry. • When something bad happens or you’ve hit a rough patch, it’s okay to just sit back and say “this sucks.” You don’t have to immediately jump into action to fix anything, sometimes you just have to sit with the sucky feeling in order to really be able to heal from it. • If you ever become worried about girls “staring at you” or “looking you up and down” because you believe they are judging you or making fun of you, switch your mindset to, “they are staring because they like my outfit”, or “because I am beautiful”! It really helped to not only get rid of the anxiety that comes with an unfortunely normal aspect of life, but helped to see myself differently too! • Love is a good thing. You aren’t a bad or stupid person for loving someone. The way they hurt you was not your fault. • Read Victor Frankl’s book, “Man’s Search for Meaning.” Its message is profound. • When anxiety, depression, etc. feels like it’s getting the best of you, it’s helpful to have a “toolbox” on hand to ensure you have remedies to rely on. This way, you don’t feel like there are no solutions to turn to. Tools you include could be CBD oil, a hot bath, meditation, or it could even be as simple as a reminder to call a friend or loved one. • You make the best choices possible with the information you have at the time. • Don’t be so mean to yourself. You’ve got to build a better relationship with yourself before trying to perfect relationships with those around you. • You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. You can stay home, go out, choose who you hang out with, etc. Your life is yours! Live it for you! ■