Throughout my college experience, I have learned a multitude of things in and outside of the classroom as a psychology major. Here are a few of the highlights that I think are important for everyone to know.
no one owes you anything
As I’ve gained experience in my classes and grown in my major, I have also seen how the material can be implemented in my everyday life. Psychology, the study of the mind and people, has taken over my life since I began my major classes freshman year. One of the first things I became to realize was that people do everything for themselves and nothing is owed to you. Coming to the conclusion that no one owes you anything becomes hard to accept when you’ve never heard that truth before. It isn’t about people being sour and selfish, it is about people protecting their own inner peace. Your friends and family are simply living their own lives that involve stress and different relationships. These relationships all need nurturing and caring. When people feel as though others don’t have enough time for them or pay them enough attention, we’re not taking into consideration the things they already have going on.
practicing mindfulness
Therapy has taught me a lot about mindfulness and what it means to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is defined as a form of meditation that focuses on being intensely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling, but it’s more. It’s taught in therapy to patients to help cope with symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorders. Mindfulness can be used in a technique called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, a program used to assist people with stress and anxiety by meditation, yoga, body awareness and emotional awareness. Mindfulness isn’t just meditating, it’s peaceful and takes a lot of practice.
people are crazy
Yes, people are crazy, but it’s okay. The fun part of studying psychology, at least for me, is learning about people and their issues. Trauma, disorders and abnormal psychology are my favorite areas of study. Understanding the inner workings of someone’s mind is important for psychology, especially diagnosing someone.
destigmatizing mental health
Growing up in a majority Hispanic city has shown me that mental health isn’t accepted as a worldwide health practice. Many Hispanic families have neglected their mental health and are skeptical that it has any effect on us as people. If you ask a doctor or health professional, they will probably tell you that mental health is one of, if not the most important form of healthcare there is. As a part of my journey with studying psychology, I have decided that spreading awareness for mental health is important, and so is educating people about their mental health needs.
Taking time to care for yourself after a hard day or taking time off time work to unwind are all forms of care for your mental health. If we overwork our brains, stress begins to manifest—we never want to force ourselves or others to stress more than needed. Utilizing different forms of healthy coping skills, mindfulness and going to therapy can all be helpful ways to learn about our mental health.
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