But I couldn’t be happy after entering university!

This is the 3430th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

Amina from Xinjiang is a freshman. She has just been in school for a month. Facing the new study and living environment, Amina can't be happy at all. She misses her mother and brother who are far away in her hometown. In the past week, Amina wanted to drop out of school and go home. She suffers from insomnia, is unwilling to communicate with classmates, and sometimes cries. What happened to Amina? Is there any way we can help her?

The psychologist said that Amina might have a common psychological problem among college students, freshman adjustment disorder. We know that the theme of the World Spirit Birthday this year is "Youthful Mind, Youthful Youth", and the mental health of teenagers is highly valued. The mental health level of college students is an important part of their mental health. Surveys and studies have shown that freshman adjustment problems, depression, anxiety, etc. are common psychological problems among college students. So what is adjustment disorder?

Adjustment disorder refers to a short-term and mild state of distress and emotional disorder caused by obvious changes in life or environment, often with a certain degree of behavioral changes. Typical life events include: bereavement, divorce, unemployment or job change, relocation, transfer, further study, serious illness, economic crisis, retirement, etc.

The psychologist learned that this was the first time Amina had left her hometown to study and live in a foreign place. Facing a new environment, new culture and new learning methods, Amina’s existing resources were difficult to cope with. In addition, her father worked in another place for work and could not take care of her mother and brother. Amina was worried about her mother, so she wanted to leave the unfamiliar environment and go home, which led to a series of physical and mental reactions. So what factors may lead to adjustment disorders? What are the manifestations of adjustment disorders?

Research shows that adjustment disorders are related to the severity of life events, individual psychological quality, psychological coping style, support from family and society, culture, etc. The adjustment status of college students is related to factors such as parenting style, family function, parent-child conflict, social support, expectations of college life before entering college, coping strategies, psychological separation from parents, and personality traits.

Symptoms of adjustment disorder include

1. Anxiety and depression

Mild depression, frustration, sadness, crying, anxiety, fear, nervousness, palpitations, shortness of breath, gastrointestinal discomfort and other physical symptoms;

2. Character issues

Common among adolescents: fighting, dangerous driving, substance abuse, theft, property damage, or truancy, which may be accompanied by anxiety and depression;

3. Mixed symptoms

Such as anxiety, depression, dependence and contradiction in doing things, unprovoked temper, behavioral disorders, etc.

Don’t worry if you have adjustment difficulties, it’s important to seek help!

If we find ourselves having adjustment problems, don’t worry too much, the following methods can help you!

1. Seek help from the school’s mental health education center

At present, all colleges and universities have mental health education centers, where the psychological counselors will use their professional knowledge to help you. Communicate with the psychological counselors frankly and tell them about your difficulties, so that the psychological counselors can better help you.

2. Seek help from a psychologist in a formal institution

If you feel that you are in a bad state, it is important to seek help from a psychologist. However, we need to seek help from doctors in regular medical institutions. Psychologists may use a combination of psychotherapy and medication to help you. What we need to know is that medication is not the main treatment for adjustment disorders. Doctors use more psychotherapy to help you.

3. Self-regulation

We need to learn relevant knowledge, read popular science books on psychology, and learn psychological adjustment techniques. We can relieve our stress and release our negative emotions by exercising or talking to trusted people. We should learn interpersonal skills and integrate into the current life as soon as possible. We should accept the reality of the study and life environment, focus more on the current study and life, and gradually adjust our state.

Author: Sang Hong, Party Secretary and President of Changchun Sixth Hospital

Fu Jia, psychotherapist at Changchun Sixth Hospital