Let’s Talk About Your Mental Health

We have a problem with how we deal with mental health issues at Georgetown. As students, we seem unwilling to have an open conversation about what mental health is, who it affects, and the implications of seeking professional help.

If you or your friend got injured, you wouldn’t hesitate to recommend going to the hospital. You’re not a doctor, so you would find someone qualified handle the issue, right? When we have mental health issues, though, rarely do we talk about getting help. Honestly, how comfortable would you feel recommending a friend to attend CAPS? Or maybe even acknowledge that you struggle and could benefit from going to CAPS yourself?  Even when we are concerned about someone, we tend to brush these issues off. CAPS and other sources of professional help are often seen not only as a last resort, but as a symptom that something is seriously wrong with you. Well, I’m here to tell you that getting professional help is not a symptom that something is wrong, but a step towards a solution. This semester, I found that out for myself.

For me, coming to college from has been a big change in many ways. One of them has been  time management. Handling 17 credits, a bunch of clubs, exploring D.C., weekend activities, and attempting to stay healthy has not been easy. In fact, balancing all of those has been a huge burden at times. This semester, as I was sitting in Lau, unable to concentrate on my work (as had become usual), I decided that it was time to do something about it. I would  get my life back together through various initiatives. I went on ABP and made awesome new friends who I love, strengthened my relationships, started eating healthier, tried  to exercise more, and yes, I decided to pay a visit to CAPS to see if there was anything they could offer me to go back to being the strong, happy person I usually am.

On March 22, I left my packed Introduction to International Relations lecture and made my way to the CAPS office – conveniently located behind Darnall so I could sneak in almost as if I was headed to my dorm. From the minute I stepped inside, I could tell I was doing the right thing. Just sitting in that waiting room, surrounded by fellow Hoyas who were there for all different reasons felt both validating and uniting in a way. I saw a familiar face on my way to the office – again a comforting sign. I sat there for an hour and spoke to a staff member about how, when, and what I was feeling. We had a conversation about what I could do to improve, and scheduled a follow-up session. The next two weeks, even though they were hellish from a work perspective (and included two all-nighters for paper writing) were some of the happiest and most productive weeks I’ve had here. My follow-up appointment lasted just 5 minutes and I’ve never had to go back again.

However, not everything was as easy as it sounds. When I even suggested to a friend that I might call CAPS and make an appointment, my friend freaked out and reacted very adversely. They were certainly worried about me, but didn’t try to offer help or even support me in my effort to seek help. The whole situation made me feel bad, almost as if I was doing something to them. I don’t blame my friend, though – this reaction towards seeking help from CAPS is all too common, and is exactly the problem I want to point out here.

In November, the Stall Seat Journal reminded us that in 2014, 54% of college students felt “overwhelming anxiety” and 33% felt “so depressed it was difficult to function”. Some people bring those feelings with them, and others, like me, experience them here for the first time. Since so many of us go through experiences like this, we shouldn’t be afraid or uncomfortable to speak openly about mental health issues, whether they be our own or of those around us.

We also shouldn’t be afraid in the least bit to recommend seeking professional help, or even seeking help ourselves. Georgetown is full of resources: your RA, your chaplain, a trusted professor, a CSE advisor, or a CAPS staff member. There are many people you can reach out to. Think of my experience: I had a problem I couldn’t fix by myself, so I decided to get help and fixed it. I know everyone’s experience is different, but there just can’t be anything wrong with seeking self-improvement and healing with professional help.

For every person you’ve seen and thought that they might need help, there are many more who also do but don’t show it. It’s time that we come to terms with the fact that these struggles are a common experience, and people facing them shouldn’t be also burdened with the need to deal with them in secret.  Let’s allow people to step out of the shadows, and let’s start a conversation about this issue. It’s about time we get rid of the mental health stigma on this campus, once and for all. So, the next time someone seriously asks you, “How are you doing?”, don’t be afraid to be honest – it all starts there.