Becoming overwhelmed can happen quietly. You keep showing up to class and work, but your sleep slips, your focus falls apart, and you start telling yourself you just need to push harder. We sit down with Dilyn Szpila, Director of Social Services and Resource Development at Ross College, to name what many college students are carrying and why mental health support can feel out of reach even when it exists.

We get specific about the most common mental health challenges students report: anxiety, depression, chronic stress and the pressure of juggling school, finances, family responsibilities, and future plans. Dilyn also explains the deeper stressors that can sit beneath the surface, including trauma, housing instability, and food insecurity.

We discuss barriers that stop students from reaching out, like stigma, lack of time, cost, and privacy concerns.

We also cover digital mental health tools and apps for mindfulness, mood tracking, and guided breathing, and we break down the differences between individual counseling, group therapy, and peer support, including telehealth and sliding scale options. If you have been waiting until things feel like a crisis, this conversation is your reminder that you deserve support sooner.

Here are some links to the digital resources that Dilyn mentioned that have completely free options:

Loona

Daylio

UCLA Mindful

Insight Timer

Additionally, if you are a Ross student or an employee interested in the resources Dilyn has put together, you can visit:

Ross Student Resources

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