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Health & Wellness Education & Promotion
As part of Student Health and Wellness in Student Affairs, the Education and Promotion service provides current information and resources on many different aspects of health and promotes awareness of healthy behaviors and attitudes that can positively affect your health.
Student Health 101!
Did you know we have an online magazine specifically designed to give you information about how to stay healthy, happy and stress-free? Check out Student Health 101 to get tips on everything from birth control to eating right! This is where you will find updated office hours for the Student Health and Wellness office, as well as Flu Clinic hours and locations for October and November! Plus, enter once a month to win $1000!!
Readsh101.comTopic of the Month:
Beating the Post-Holiday Blues
Every year the holiday season brings joy and excitement into the lives of people across the globe. But the holidays can also be a time of increased stress, poor eating habits, excessive spending, and altered sleeping patterns. All of this can result in heightened levels of anxiety and depression if not handled properly.
Many people find that the time directly after the Holiday season (Thanksgiving through New Year's Day), is the hardest time of the year to cope with this depression. It is so common that there is actually a medical term for the symptoms. Post-Holiday Depression, or PHD, is caused by the adrenaline and endorphins in your body that have built up during the stressful holiday season suddenly crashing back down to normal levels. This causes a strong feeling of sadness and an inability to cope with returning to your normal living, working, and socializing patterns.
PHD is not the only cause of the sad feeling that generally follows the holidays. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a depression that is caused by a severe lack of sunshine. During the spring, summer and early fall, our bodies absorb vital nutrients and vitamins that are produced when the sun hits our skin. Vitamin D is the most commonly deficient nutrient during the winter months. This can cause feelings of depression that last until the vitamin levels rise again in the early spring.
Whether it is the lack of sunshine or the decreased adrenaline that causes your post-holiday blues, there are certain signs to watch out for in order to more easily treat and cure the depression that results.
Signs include:
- Disrupted sleep patterns (i.e. insomnia or excessive tiredness)
- Lack of or increased appetite
- Lethargy, fatigue or lack of energy
- Lack of concentration
- Feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, hopelessness, self-hate and guilt
- Becoming withdrawn
- Suicidal thoughts or actions
Treatment comes in many different forms and it is up to you to talk to your doctor, psychologist or family members to decide which treatment method is right for you. Treatment can be as simple as getting more exercise or as serious as intensive counseling and medication.
To find out if you have depression or for more information on how to identify and treat symptoms of depression check out the links below:
Dealing with depression:
Huffington Post - Dealing with Depression
Thoughts of suicide:
Helping a friend:
