More Than Just Stressed: Mental Health, Belonging, and Checking In on Campus

As we settle into September, it’s a good time to have conversations about mental health that we might not always feel comfortable having. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and as students, employers, employees, or even just humans; life can get overwhelming pretty quickly. Between keeping up with classes, working, relationships, money, family, and trying to figure out what we want to do with our lives, it can sometimes feel like there is a lot to handle at once, and a lot to handle alone.

A lot of the time, we might just say we’re “stressed” or “tired” and move on without really having a conversation about how we truly feel. We also don’t always know when someone around us is struggling. A person can show up to class or work, hang out with friends, post on social media, and still be going through something in their private life.

Checking In Can Make a Difference

That’s why checking in with the people around us can make a difference, and is so important. It can be as simple as asking a friend or colleague, “How are you truly doing?” or letting them know that you’re there if they need someone to talk too. Remember, you don’t have to have all the answers. Sometimes listening without judging is enough to help someone feel a little less alone.

It’s also important to remember that asking for help is okay. Life can be difficult, and nobody should feel like they have to handle everything by themselves. Talking to a friend, family member, colleague, professor, advisor, or whoever you feel comfortable can be a good place to start. You deserve support no matter what your problems are.

As Bisexual Awareness Week Comes to a Close (Sept 16th - 23rD)

As college students, we are surrounded by people from different backgrounds, cultures, identities, and experiences every day. College can be one of the first times that some students have the freedom to really explore who they are. For some students, that includes their sexual orientation or gender identity.

As Bisexual Awareness Week comes to a close, it is also a good reminder that feeling accepted and like you belong can have an impact on mental health.

For LGBTQ+ students, and especially students who may still be figuring out their identity, college can bring both freedom and challenges. Someone may feel comfortable being themselves with their friends on campus but not with their family back home. Someone else may still be trying to understand what their identity means to them. Others may know exactly who they are but worry about how roommates, classmates, teammates, coworkers, family members, or even their community will respond.

Research shows that being LGBTQ+ itself is not what causes mental health problems. Rejection, discrimination, threats, and feeling isolated can contribute to emotional distress. Hearing negative messages about who you are can also affect the way you begin to see yourself.

For bisexual students, there can also be the experience of feeling misunderstood or like they have to explain or prove their identity. Sometimes they may not feel completely accepted outside of the LGBTQ+ community, while also wondering whether they fully belong within it.

College can already feel lonely sometimes, even when you are surrounded by thousands of other students. Add feeling like you cannot completely be yourself, and that loneliness can become even heavier.

This is another reason why checking in with each other matters.

You do not have to completely understand someone else’s experience to support them. Sometimes it means listening without judging. Sometimes it means respecting how someone identifies. Sometimes it means not making assumptions about someone based on who they are dating. And sometimes it simply means being the friend who says, “You can talk to me if you need to.”

We also have to remember that everyone may not be ready to share what they are going through. Being supportive does not mean forcing someone to come out, explain their identity, or have a conversation they are not ready to have.

Sometimes just knowing there is a safe person nearby can make someone feel a little less alone.

Where to Get Help

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 anytime to connect with a trained crisis counselor. You can also use the online chat through 988lifeline.org. You can reach out for yourself or if you are worried about someone else.

Campus Counseling Center: Check your college’s counseling services to see what free or low cost mental health resources are available to students.

Someone You Trust: A friend, roommate, family member, professor, advisor, or another trusted person can be a good first person to talk to.

Emergency Help: If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

Mental Health Deserves Attention All Year Long

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month isn't just about one month of the year. It's a reminder that mental health deserves attention all year long. As humans, we may not always know what someone else is going through, but we can choose to check in, listen, and remind each other that asking for help is not something to be ashamed of.

As Bisexual Awareness Week comes to a close, that reminder feels especially important on college campuses. The person sitting next to you in class, living down the hall, working beside you, or hanging out with your friend group may be dealing with something you know nothing about.

We may not be able to fix everything for each other, but we can help create a campus where people feel seen, supported, and a little less alone.

About the Author

Naami Townsel is a sophomore at Louisiana State University, majoring in Forensic Psychology with a minor in Criminology. She is trained in Mental Health First Aid and is an advocate for mental health awareness and LGBTQIA+ rights. Naami is passionate about creating conversations that encourage understanding, acceptance, and support, particularly among young adults and college students.