{"id":1600,"date":"2020-11-13T09:00:24","date_gmt":"2020-11-13T17:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=1600"},"modified":"2024-08-08T16:59:52","modified_gmt":"2024-08-08T23:59:52","slug":"mental-health-resources-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/mental-health-resources-online\/","title":{"rendered":"Mental health resources for online students"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/p>\n

3 tips to help manage stress and tap into Oregon State’s services<\/h2>\n

The benefits of earning a college degree \u2013 including increased job opportunities, higher earnings over their lifetime and more robust professional networks \u2013 are not to be passed up.<\/p>\n

But the path to a degree can be complicated. Many students who learn online with Oregon State University Ecampus face challenges as they juggle school, work and other life responsibilities. Those experiences can create pressure that weighs on their mental health and may impact their academic success.<\/p>\n

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Online resources you can access anywhere<\/h2>\n

No matter where Ecampus students live, Oregon State is committed to bridging the divide between the university’s resources and those who need to access them.<\/p>\n

Browse support services<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

Knowing where to go for support is essential for a student\u2019s holistic wellness, and without a physical campus location to visit, Oregon State\u2019s online learners thankfully have a clear-cut path to important resources for stress management<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here are three tips to prioritize wellness and find support while earning your degree from a distance.<\/p>\n

Tip 1: Know your resources before you need them<\/h3>\n

Preventive measures are key when it comes to mental health, just as with physical health. When long-term stressors build up into an immediate emergency, it can become more challenging to identify effective strategies to address the problem.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally pay attention to your stress and what\u2019s going on academically, socially and personally, and try not to wait until the last minute to ask for help,\u201d says Marcey Bamba, the associate director of clinical services for OSU\u2019s Counseling and Psychological Services<\/a>. \u201cSee what your institution can offer you; understand the access that you have to resources here at Oregon State.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ecampus fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences advisor Susie Dunham suggests reaching out to an academic advisor or Ecampus student success coach<\/a> at the first signs of difficulty as academic hardship can often amplify struggles with mental health or self-worth.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a matter of helping students break down what\u2019s going on and asking them questions to pull out the key things that are getting in the way of school,\u201d Dunham says.<\/p>\n

In addition to connecting online students with mental health resources and acting as a pillar of support, advisors can also help students to identify course drop and withdrawal dates and other important information to save them time, money and emotional burden.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe they need to take a break or take a lighter load. Maybe they\u2019re putting too much pressure on themselves. Sometimes they just need someone to give them permission to take a break and reassess,\u201d Dunham says.<\/p>\n

Tip 2: Explore several options to discover what works for you<\/h3>\n

Ecampus students living in Oregon can access face-to-face or limited distance counseling services<\/a> through CAPS. Ecampus students who live outside of Oregon are unable to receive ongoing counseling through OSU due to state licensing laws, but any student in crisis can call CAPS and get help connecting with continuing mental health resources in their own area.<\/p>\n

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Not sure where to start?<\/h2>\n

These OSU mental health resources can guide you toward a balanced life as an online student:<\/p>\n