College. It’s either the greatest time of your life (so far) or absolutely terrifying. Or both. Mostly both. But with anxiety issues, something is guaranteed to go wrong. Freshman year is one of the riskiest years of your life in regards to mental health. So if you already know that you have some sort of disorder, or even if you don’t think you do, you should go see a therapist.
This isn’t meant to be scary. University can be absolutely great, but it’s up to you to make it great, and seeing a psychologist can be (an admittedly very scary) first step.
You’re going through major, major living changes in college. Even if you’re not traveling far away for university, or even moving out of your parents’ house the first year, the differences in freedom, campus culture and the people you’ll meet are scary enough. If you’re moving into a dorm or on your own, you have to take a responsibility for yourself that you probably haven’t had to before. Seeing a therapist to talk about these changes can be very, very helpful.
Another reason is that there will be drama. It’s unavoidable. A dorm or a Greek house is a breeding ground for drama – throw that many young adults together all the time and things will explode at some point. A lot of schools actually have therapists for social issues, and if you’re seeing someone they can hook you up with a great therapist for any problem you could possibly have. Or simply talking it out with someone who isn’t invested in it can be more therapeutic than most people think it will be.
Of course, the biggest difference between high school and college is the course work. In high school I didn’t think I had any anxiety issues related to school at all. In college I found out that was completely untrue. College can feed your disorders very, very well… if you let it. If you decide to tackle it head on, college can just be loads of fun. Yeah, the coursework is hard, but you’ll be choosing exactly what you want to study, which can be very freeing. So don’t let your anxiety get in the way of legitimately enjoying your schoolwork.
Parents, you guys can turn away now. At college there’s often a drug and alcohol culture. I go to school in Seattle, meaning drugs are a big part of the culture, and alcohol has always been a part of college. It can be avoided, but it’s still there and I’m very aware of it. I hear a lot of the same things from people going to school in other places, so I don’t think this is exclusive at all. Seeing someone uninvolved can help you make better decisions about substance use and to feel better about these decisions.
And the number one reason you should see a therapist? You’re building a new support system. You’re away from your family and your friends in high school. You don’t have any of the teachers you had possibly for years. If you’ve been seeing a doctor, you might be leaving him or her behind while you go away. And simply going to the school counseling center can be a great way to start a new support system. Honestly, you’ll need this support system at some point, and building it before you need it is important.
The best part is, that as a student, most universities offer free counseling services that are completely private. There’s no risk in trying it out, and testing the waters with a few doctors. Yes, it’s scary, especially if you’ve never seen a doctor before, but it’s worth it. College should be fun. Facing this fear could be a guarantee that it will be. Best of luck!