It’s grind time and assignments are piling up alongside the dreaded final tests of fall semester. As the courses end, your mental health might dwindle; however, don’t feel discouraged by stress.  

In an article from the American Psychological Association (APA), mental health and its importance are spotlighted.

“If you broke your leg or came down with pneumonia, you wouldn’t let it go untreated. Often; however, young people ignore mental health problems.” APA discusses, “That kind of thinking prevents people from getting the help they need. Sometimes getting help is a matter of changing your mind.”

Catching your stress or feelings of anxiety early in the year may be beneficial to your health.

Clinical psychologist Gregg Henriques explains the epidemic of mental health issues in college students.

“Directors of counseling centers have one of the most direct lines to observing the state of mental health on college campuses, thus it is instructive to identify their perspective,” Henriques said, according to a Feb. 14 article by Psychology Today.

If your feelings of stress and anxiety are piling up, you can help prevent further problems by seeking help. Stress during the school year is nothing to take lightly, and it’s important to use resources that students have on campus.

NIU Counseling and Consultation Services are great resources to anyone suffering from stress, anxiety or other mental illnesses.

The psychologists offered at counseling services can offer individual and group counseling, mental health crisis services, and also consultation to NIU students and community.

In individual counseling, a counselor will meet with you one-on-one and discuss your goals. The counselor will also help you achieve these goals using a variety of methods.

Some other services they offer are assessment, outreach and educational services.

Mental health is extremely important; it should be treated just as seriously as physical health.

Keep your mental health in check, Huskies. Stop by the Counseling and Consultation services if you need help.