If you're a student who is estranged, your mental health is crucial

Your mental health is something that you don't want to skimp out on.

Maintaining one’s mental health and self-esteem is incredibly important, especially for college students who have little family support. As a college student, you might be juggling multiple commitments including work, college courses, assignments, and other personal problems related to family, so it's not uncommon to feel overwhelmed, anxious, depressed or on edge. There are, however, several practices that can significantly reduce your stress and improve your mental health and self-esteem, and these steps will prove vital to your wellbeing as you pursue your studies. According to an article written by the University of Colorado titled, “4 tips to help your student improve their mental health in 2021”, there are ways for students struggling with these issues to cope.

The tips provided in the article are designed to help reduce stress, and they include the following (University of Colorado, 2021):

1. Sleep a minimum of 7-9 hrs

2. Eat properly

3. Be active

4. Take a break from Zoom or other virtual meetings

5. Communicate with others who are struggling with the same issues

These practices and tips are not the only ways to reduce stress; there is a broad range of activities that can be performed to relieve and improve our mental health and self-esteem. Many universities such as Birmingham University and the University of Michigan provide a variety of methods and tips to improve one’s mental health as well. These include the following (Birmingham, n.d.; University of Michigan, n.d,):

1. Drinking sensibly and avoiding drugs

2. Setting small goals

3. Make an appointment with a mental health professional if one feels that their mental health is causing harm or if they do not feel like themselves

4. Seek out help from supportive friends, family members or others in your life

5. Value yourself and recognize that you are not alone

6. Practice meditation or other form to quiet your mind

7. Take care of your body

There are many methods that a person can use to maintain their mental health and well being, and this maintenance is important for things such as reducing stress and having healthy self-esteem.

According to an article titled, “The Importance of Healthy Self Confidence in Students”, self confidence and self esteem are a “balanced view of yourself” (Marlborough, 2019). By improving and maintaining one’s self esteem, they may find that they have “less fear and anxiety, improved motivation, more resilience, improved relationships, and stronger sense of self” (Marlborough, 2019).

Whether you are an estranged individual, a college student, or even an adult, mental health and self-esteem is vital to our social well being, as well as to our emotions. Therefore seeking out proper support can help you manage the family stressors that are taking place in your life. Many universities offer financial and social support - speak with the dean of your college to see what resources are available because oftentimes these options are not advertised. Seeking out help from a mental health professional is also important so that you receive frequent guidance and understanding. There is no shame in seeking out help from a mental health professional, especially since everyone deals with trauma, pain, and difficult situations differently.

Together Estranged is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports and empowers those estranged from family members while enhancing social understanding for the de-stigmatization of estrangement. We offer a Private Facebook Support Group, monthly Zoom support groups sessions, Boston University support groups for students, and information via our website, https://www.togetherestranged.org.