Resources

Coping With Stress and Distress During Challenging Times

It is not unusual for any human being to experience increased stress and maybe even some additional anxiety during transitions and other uncertain times in your life. This is a typical and expected reaction. The way individuals respond to such an occurrence can cause strong emotions to surface, such as feeling overwhelmed, fearful, sad, confused, angry, helpless, out of control, lost and/or sometimes even numb. This is especially true as you try to make sense of all the information confronting you on a daily and sometimes hourly basis.

Everyone will respond to challenging times and situations in a different way. In addition to taking all accessible precautions, we want to remind you of some things you can do to help maintain your mental health:

• Focus on very basic things that you can do to manage your power and self-control in your environment.
• Breathe, stretch, meditate and/or pray.
• Remember to eat balanced meals.
• Choose to be active in some way each day.
• Rest and get regular sleep.
• Connect in a safe way with people in your life who you trust, who help reassure you and who you can turn to for support. Maintain your healthy relationships while managing healthy boundaries not to over promise to others or yourself.
• Place limits on how much time you spend on social media, reading comments of others, or even watching all the news alerts. Let others know you might be limiting your online time; be sure to offer them other ways to contact you if necessary.
• Try to stay connected with healthy hobbies and interests that stimulate and relax you physically and mentally.
• Make time to unwind and remind yourself that strong feelings of uncertainty or anxiety can fade as you refocus your energies.
• Try to maintain a sense of hope and balanced thinking.
• Remember to attend to your wellness and take care of your body, as well as your mind, spirit and relationships.

(Message adapted from Brian Smith, NIU Employee Assistance Program director)

Below are select resources in our immediate NIU DeKalb area. Contact your insurance provider for additional mental health and physical health support resources. Remember that choosing a health provider can sometimes be like finding a good barber, stylist or beautician. Don't let one bad experience stop you from pursuing and creating your healthier you!

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network answers thousands of calls from people in emotional distress. There are many reasons for their calls. Please call 1-800-273-8255 for any of the following reasons:

• Suicidal thoughts
• Information on suicide
• Abuse/violence, sexual orientation issues
• Information on mental health/illness
• To help a friend or loved one

Safe Passage

Safe Passage is the domestic violence and sexual assault agency serving DeKalb County. They provide a wide range of services to victims of domestic and sexual violence.

Undocumented Student Resource Center

The Undocumented Student Resource Center is a campus unit dedicated to intentionally addressing complex issues faced by undocumented students.

Northwestern Medicine: Greater DeKalb County Counseling and Psychiatry

Northwestern Medicine: Greater DeKalb County Counseling and Psychiatry provides mental health and substance abuse treatment to the DeKalb County.

Nutrition Coaching for DeKalb County

One-on-one nutrition coaching is available between August and May. Nutrition coaches provide nutrition support for general health and well-being, sports nutrition, and some medical conditions such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Graduate-level nutrition coaches are supervised by Meg Burnham, M.S., RDN, CSSD, LDN.

NIU Psychological Services Center

The NIU Psychological Services Center provides psychological services to the NIU and northern Illinois area communities. It is the primary training center for graduate students in the clinical psychology program at NIU.

The Couple and Family Therapy Clinic of NIU

The Couple and Family Therapy Clinic works with individuals, couples and families, offering a safe space to discuss conflicts or problems with a partner, spouse, children, parents, siblings, family members, friends or roommates. We provide assistance with challenges such as everyday stress from responsibilities and decisions; child and adolescent behavioral problems; more persistent difficulties such as physical, sexual, or psychological abuse; coping with addiction; feelings of despair, loneliness, anxiety or fear and thoughts of suicide.

Northwestern Medicine Student Health Center at NIU

NIU is committed to providing students with a high-quality, comprehensive on-campus health care experience. Northwestern Medicine Student Health Center at NIU has tele-psych services for all eligible NIU students. They should be the first place to refer students since it would be free. It is very important, if students have student health insurance or any other insurance, they need to contact their insurance carrier to make sure of their coverage.