What do you do for your mental health? That’s the question Kristee Gach wants students to consider.

“Maybe physical health is a lot more important to people and maybe they forget that without mental health, your physical health could go down as well. I think sometimes it gets overlooked,” said Gach, a fourth-year nursing student.

She points to results of a 2011 survey by the National College Health Association that shows great numbers of university students not firing on all cylinders. Almost half of University of Saskatchewan students feel tired, dragged out, or sleepy 3-5 days out of the week, 53 per cent have struggled with their academic commitments in the last year and most feel “overwhelmed” at times.

Gach and her nursing preceptor devised a Facebook photo competition to promote better mental health. U of S students can take photos of themselves doing whatever lets them blow off steam and relax, then submit them for a chance to win $250.

Gach has spoken to many U of S students about what they do for their mental health and gathered a variety of responses. Everything from killing zombies — in a video game, presumably — to praying has been cited as a way to keep one’s sanity intact.

Gach says students shouldn’t shy away from having fun in order to get through school.

“It’s OK to do something they enjoy because it’s beneficial for their schooling and for their everyday lives,” she said.

[box type=”info”]The What Do You Do For Your Mental Health photo contest runs until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 22. Submit your photos to the USSU Help Center and U of S Peer Health Educators pages on Facebook. [/box]

– –
Photo: Dimitris Papazimouris/Flickr