Remember when you were sobbing face down on the dirty carpet that hasn’t been cleaned in years, because your hard drive crashed and took with it the most recent update of a massive paper that was due in a mere 12 hours? What about that time when you were so freaked out by how much schoolwork you had to get done that you ate an entire cake and a big bag of take-out from KFC while watching six hours of a Jersey Shore marathon, because you couldn’t think of a thing to write? Or how about that time you were so exhausted from working and going to school that you couldn’t remember your kids’ names and when you picked them up from daycare just pulled over to the curb, rolled down the window and yelled out, “Hey, Satan’s Spawn and Demon Seed, get in the car!”
If you’re lucky, none of these stressful situations has happened to you (only one really happened to me—can you guess which one?) But for many of today’s college students, stress can be a real concern. Factors such as the struggling economy; the need to balance work, school and family commitments; fears of college debt; the heavy workload of a full schedule of courses; and the social pressures many students feel can create a heavy emotional burden. All too often, such stress can have a negative impact on a student’s emotional health and schoolwork.
Some people turn to drugs and alcohol as an escape or coping mechanism when faced with too much stress. Students across the country routinely binge drink to let off steam, but iconic pop singer Whitney Houston’s sudden death after years of struggle with addiction has once again raised the issue of drug and alcohol abuse and their possible long term effects, as well as the mental health issues that may be a root cause of such abuse. Stress can certainly trigger such behavior, and the effect of stress on college students is significant. Countless articles about rising stress levels on college campuses were published in 2011, and The New York Times cited research that found that the mental and emotional well-being of incoming freshman has sunk to its lowest level in 25 years.
Students on traditional campuses have a wealth of resources available to them, from counseling centers and support groups to on-campus medical care, all of which is usually included in tuition and fees. But what resources do online students have? Some online colleges, like the University of Phoenix, offer online counseling, but many do not.
Where can online students find free or low cost help when the job of handling all their obligations becomes too much? Luckily, there are a number of online resources that students, and anyone, can access. I’ve compiled a list of these resources, which deal with many different personal problems:
General Information/Assessment: Sometimes, you may not be sure what the problem is, but you know that something is wrong. These sites provide information on different mental health issues, some assessment tools, contact information for online therapusts, and explanations of eTherapy and addiction recovery:
- Free Online Assessment
- Addiction Care Options
- Addiction Recovery Guide
- eTherapistsOnline
- StressGroup
- Ask the Internet Therapist
Online Programs and Counseling for Drug and Alcohol Abuse and Mental Health Issues: These programs offer online support groups or provide online counseling via personal internet sessions with qualified counselors.
WARNING: Before you elect to participate in online counseling or recovery programs, there are a few things to remember:
- There is some controversy regarding the validity of internet counseling.
- None of these options are a substitute for in-person counseling or therapy, which many mental health counselors believe is the best treatment option.
- Most insurance plans do not cover online programs.
- Many programs contain a religious or spiritual component that may not suit your needs.
The most important thing to remember is to get help immediately if you feel depressed, suicidal, angry, or feel that you could hurt yourself or others, even if that means going to the nearest emergency room. Do not let the cost of medical care prevent you from getting the help you need.
Facebook Comments