Imagine if you were in college right now, do you think you could ever survive it? Today, college students are met with so many issues. At this stage of their life where they’re exploring their identity, they’re presented with all of this information on social media telling them that they're not enough and not doing enough. Add that to the already massive amount of academic pressure, especially in prominent universities. Plus, the pandemic, which has exacerbated the mental health concerns of many. 

And when you're not sure of who you are and who you want to be in the world, all this can be very detrimental. Due to a lack of access to coping strategies or social support, it’s prevalent for this demographic to turn to either self-medication or substance abuse. How then should college students navigate through this season of their life knowing and feeling that they’re enough and they’re supported?

On today's episode, Duane speaks with Dr. Christine Catipon, a licensed clinical psychologist, about the impact of the COVID pandemic related to substance use and self-medication among college students. Having been in college counseling settings for the last 12 years, Christine has seen a significant amount of shift and growth – a lot of it has to do with accessibility to information on social media, which is a major stressor to a lot of college students.

Christine works full-time at the Counseling and Psychological Services Center at Stanford University, is the current vice president of the Asian-American Psychological Association, and has held numerous leadership positions in the Filipino-American community. 

In this episode, you will hear:

• Christine’s career background and her passion for helping college students
• A rise in anti-Asian hate on social media and how it’s impacting students
• Some challenges college students are experiencing today
• Why college students resort to self-medication
• Coping strategies and resources to help students through tough times
• Ways to manage your anxiety

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Supporting Resources:

NovusMindfulLife.com

Connect with Christine on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-catipon-psy-d-68a25969/ 

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

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