Tools available on campus to deal with anxiety

By Tourie Boswell, CONTRIBUTOR

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 81 percent of college students stated they felt overwhelmed with everything they had to do at some point in 2017, 42 percent stated anxiety as the top presenting concern among college students.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, California State University, East Bay holds an Anxiety Toolbox Workshop, which is a safe space that allows students to learn and practice strategies to manage their anxiety.
Sarah Glozer, the facilitator and volunteer for this one-hour workshop, uses helpful tools during the sessions to help students with individual issues.
“Sometimes we forget that we need to congratulate ourselves,” said Glozer. “Even for the smallest victories, as students, you shouldn’t be so hard on yourselves.”
At some point, all college students, especially those who try to juggle school, work, friends, relationships, and family while trying to figure out the rest of life, go through high periods of anxiety. As stated by the AADA, 75 percent of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin developing by age 24.

“75% of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin developing by age 24.”

The workshop is open to all students who may have trouble dealing with anxiety, whether it is school or work-related. The workshops include discussions on how to recognize unhelpful thinking styles as well as healthy ways to identify anxiety triggers that may lead to an anxiety attack.
“I have very high anxiety at my job as a caterer and I’ve been doing it for years,” said an attendee who wished to remain anonymous. “I often worry about getting an order mixed up or any number of things and I can’t deal.”
Anxiety is a mental health disorder characterized by feelings of worry or fear that are strong enough to interfere with one’s daily life and can affect anyone. Glozer explained that there are unhelpful thinking styles that we create in our minds that are counterproductive to our mental health.
“I know sometimes we jump to conclusions, but in reality, the event might not even have that much of a significance,” were Glozer’s final words during one of the bi-weekly workshops.
At the end of every workshop, there is a five-minute instructional breathing exercise that has a purpose of reducing stress and anxiety by relaxing every muscle in your body.
The workshops are held every Tuesday and Thursday in the Student Health Center Multipurpose Room at CSUEB. Log in to your BaySync account to sign up or go to the Student Health Center for more information.