In light of the current situation, and following the World Mental Health Day on October 10, the Office of Student Affairs at NDU in collaboration with the Office of Human Resources organized dedicated sessions to help students and staff cope better with the stress caused by the war.
“These 5 centimeters above our heads are often neglected,” began student counselor Rita El Asmar, shedding light on the importance of our well-being, which is often underestimated but can have a huge impact on our physical health and productivity. After explaining the differences between rational, emotional, and wise decision-making, El Asmar advised against making any decisions when feeling extremely low or extremely high. A common example is how we react to being stuck in traffic when we are already feeling stressed, compared to a normal day; or, in contrast, proposing to your girlfriend during a perfect holiday, simply out of euphoria. Reaching a balanced state reflects strong self-awareness and high emotional intelligence, ultimately building better personalities, especially in the workplace.
When addressing how to manage stressful situations triggered by loss, financial insecurity, trauma, uncertainty, and instability, which can easily overwhelm us in such hard times, El Asmar offered the following advice:
- Focus on what you can change, and not on what you can’t control.
- Find what keeps you busy and productive, which ultimately reflects positively on your wellbeing.
- Limit exposure to the news, as it distracts you from the fruitful work you are invested in.
- Seek support when you feel too anxious to think straight.
- Set yourself a challenge as soon as you wake up: do something positive.
The session for staff covered parenting issues, among others, addressing their concerns about managing their children’s emotions and keeping them safe during such difficult times. On the other hand, students were urged to take care of themselves, as we live in a highly informed world where it is unacceptable to neglect an important issue like mental health.
Finally, El Asmar shared a list of essential coping mechanisms to help anyone get through these tough days:
- Exercise two to three times per week, triggering the endorphin hormone that increases your sense of “happiness” —otherwise obtained in small doses from chocolate.
- Pursue your hobbies more seriously.
- Write down your thoughts without self-judgment.
- Volunteer: be useful to those in need and receive positive reinforcement in return.
Mental health care doesn’t stop here, as NDU took this opportunity to announce the launch of a series of workshops to help students and staff feel even better, the first of which will focus on writing for therapy.
It all starts with a thought. In an endless cycle, our thoughts—whether positive or negative—trigger corresponding feelings, which define our behavior, ultimately leading to consequences. That’s why, by choosing how we think and what we think about, we have the power to truly and continuously, feel better.