JOIN THE ANXIETY SUPPORT GROUP @ MHCC

Sabrina Kuhlmann The Advocate

Not a lot of people realize the amount of anxiety that comes with everyday life. You have this need to stay alive and get things done, and if a single thing gets in the way of that, the anxiety comes.ww

Your paycheck was a little lighter than you’d thought it’d be? Anxiety. The milk you were supposed to use for the next week goes bad? Anxiety. Your car has some mystery problem going on? Anxiety. Your finals are due in a week, and you’ve only started one of them, and aren’t anywhere near being done? Anxiety, anxiety, anxiety.

Anxiety is all around us, and when your responsibilities include keeping yourself alive, paying rent, and utilities and bills, all while trying to figure out how to do your homework, anxiety can sometimes get pretty intense.

May was Mental Health Awareness month, and I’m here to tell you, that you are not alone in your struggles with anxiety. I’ve struggled with chronic anxiety since I was 13 and it’s been a wild ride since. Some days are perfectly fine, some days I can’t think of anything without panicking. Anxiety is unavoidable for me, and for many other people.

Avery Diep

The Advocate

Q: Can you share with us some of your values? What do you believe is important for MHCC?

A: My personal values are fairness, justice, adaptability, and the reduction of human suffering. As a board member, I will work to ensure that students are given what they need to succeed in meeting their personal goals. I believe community colleges need to be places where humans of any age can pursue education and have their needs met.

Q: Cn you tell us what a board member does?

A: The job includes adopting policies and budget, overseeing programs and services that the school offers, and evaluating the job of the administration, all with the purpose of meeting the needs of MHCC students and the community at large. We do not oversee day-to-day activities, but focus on the larger mission and vision of MHCC.

Q: What motivated you to become an MHCC board member?

A: I’m passionate about having community hubs that provide spaces for our East County community to pursue educational opportunities. I hold the belief that our higher education programs, like MHCC, are steppingstones for many people to advance their careers and also a piece of how we address the worker shortage that many industries are faced with, post-pandemic. As someone who attended my local community college in my late teens for several quarters, I was able to expand my own mind through tai chi and yoga and meet new people in my community. It helped me to evaluate my readiness for a four-year program.

Q: What are some of the current problems you see here at MHCC?

A: It was clear based on recent surveying that food and housing insecurity were very real issues for about 40% of students who currently attend MHCC. Also, when I attended the student town-hall meeting last month, I heard students expressing their need for more healthy and local food opportunities. I also heard some students say they desired more diverse cultural programming and language opportunities.

Q: How do you plan to fix some of these problems?

A: My intent is to continue to listen to the students, staff, and community as we evaluate and monitor existing policies and then to determine any current equity gaps.

Q: Do you have any other goals for MHCC?

A: I want to see a vibrant and diverse community that utilizes the campus – bringing back Saturday markets, student fairs, music festivals, and deeply engaged with community partners and area non-profits.

Q: Tell MHCC why they should trust you as their board member. What value, insight, or skills do you bring to the board?

A: I have academically studied science and mental health in my career journey. I’ve also studied equity informed mediation and restorative justice in my personal time. I am committed to making decisions based on what I perceive to be best for the future of our Earth and what’s best for the student’s mental health and financial stability.

Q: Do you have any other thoughts you would like to share? Perhaps a message for the MHCC community?

A: I’m really looking forward to joining with you (students) over the next four years and am committed to making myself available. Please reach out anytime and be vocal with the board! Come to our meetings and engage with us. The Board is here to serve your best interest.

You may not realize it, but the chances are, you could be looking at someone who is struggling. Roughly 30% of Americans struggle with anxiety. That means that for every ten people you see, three of them could be struggling with anxiety. It’s one of the most common mental health issues today.

The good news is that there are always resources to help you. As a Mt. Hood student, you have access to the brilliant minds on campus that have been put here to help you. In addition to academic counselors on campus, students have access to free mental health counseling.

There’s also an anxiety support group here on campus that you can participate in, if need be. Led by Rachel Falk, a career and planning counselor at MHCC, the group focuses on learning healthy ways to reduce your anxiety. It also serves as a way to show that you truly aren’t alone. It’s okay to struggle. And it’s more than okay to get help.

Finally, if you know someone who isn’t a student and is struggling, the Oregon Health Authority website has impressive resources for low-income-based mental health counseling. No one ever must go on this journey alone. If you or a loved one struggles with anxiety or any other mental health issue, scan the barcode to find a counselor or therapist today.

Link to find a mental health provider: https:// www.oregon.gov/oha/hsd/amh/pages/get-help. aspx.