It’s something you’ve probably heard repeated plenty of times already during wellbeing week, but it’s cliché because it’s true: If you’re struggling, you’re not alone.
College is difficult. Even if all you had to worry about was your school work, that alone is high stress. Transition and uncertainty, states that can lead to anxiety, are inherent to higher education, as you move from one module to the next, waiting on grades for new topics from new lecturers.
And you’re not just a student, you’re a person. You have social obligations, and maybe a job, or maybe you’ve just moved to Ireland and you’re navigating the process of immigrating to a new country. Housing, family, visas, commuting — all of these things can take a mental toll. But know that everyone around you is experiencing something similar, and there are many ways to get through it and improve your wellbeing.
Mindfulness
It may not be possible to reduce the amount of things you need to do, but practicing mindfulness may help you reduce your stress levels. Mindfulness is the practice of focusing on the present moment, and how you’re experiencing it, without judgement.
For someone with a busy schedule, being mindful means focusing on the task in front of you rather than worrying about what you were doing earlier or what you will have to do later. It can feel impossible to get an assignment done with tomorrow’s to-do list running through your head, but practicing mindfulness can help you with that stress.
And if it’s your present that’s difficult, paying attention to how you feel in the moment and trying to understand that feeling rather than judge it or push it down can help you find solutions.
Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to improve self esteem, job satisfaction, and even athletic performance in addition to reducing the symptoms of anxiety. One easy, mindful intervention that could make a difference in your day-to-day life is reading.
For most young people, a lot of free time is spent on your phone, but absent-minded smartphone use runs counter to the idea of mindfulness, which asks you to act deliberately. Opening up a book, or even pulling one up on an e-reader, is a more purposeful action which puts you in a better headspace to focus on your current moment and the activity at hand.
And it’s not just about getting off your phone. There’s a term for therapeutic practices that employ reading: Bibliotherapy. It’s a common practice where literature is used to promote wellbeing.
What should I read?
The most well-known form of bibliotherapy involves using books that relate directly to the mental struggle you’re facing, often self-help or non-fiction books or contemporary fiction where characters face similar problems to your own.
Reading these books can help you meditate on the issues you’re dealing with, keeping you focused on your present moment in a way that aligns with the tenets of mindfulness. We have a list of self-help books that are available in our collection if you need help getting started.
But you’re not limited to nonfiction books or books directly about the issues you’re facing. Although reading for pleasure rather than information may not seem as productive on the surface, there is evidence that reading fiction, particularly with light fantasy elements, can be beneficial for your mental health.
Getting out of one's head is no easy feat. People can become fixated on their own preoccupations. But readers who become immersed in a novel forget their problems for a space of time.
From “Leisure Reading as a Mindfulness Activity: The Implications for Academic Reference Librarians”
If you’re looking for something new to dive into, we’ve compiled a list of books in our collection recommended by our staff. We also have a list of novels that have received Booker Prizes over the years.
See what works
Having a mental illness doesn’t mean you can’t have good mental wellbeing. Wellbeing is about functioning well in every aspect of your life. While there may be more interventions necessary to help you find stability with a mental illness, small steps to improve your overall state can still be helpful.
So try picking up a book. Or maybe you’ve done enough reading and what you really need is to get outside and take a walk. Maybe you’ve been alone for too long and you need to call up a friend and grab a meal together. There’s no one answer when it comes to improving your wellbeing, but try some things out and see what works for you.