After years of structure centering on a school schedule, new college graduates can often feel overwhelmed as they enter the next phase of their lives. In fact Brock Seefeldt, a social worker and integrated health therapist at Sanford Children’s Specialty Clinic in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, says that depression can be common for people post-college.
“There’s a lot going on in this part of our life,” Seefeldt said. “There’s kind of that loss of identity for many people, because they’re coming from being the oldest or the most experienced group as those older students, and then they’re stepping into their professional world as basically a newbie. They’re not the experts anymore. That is hitting at a phase of life where we are trying to establish our expertise.”
Entering the workforce
Finding a job is often the first major hurdle for new graduates, and while many people feel they need to tackle everything on their own, Seefeldt wants to remind them that leaning on people they trust is never a bad strategy.
“Reaching out to mentors, reaching out to someone in the field they want to go into and seeing if they’re willing to talk to them … going to those friends or family members if they have those close relationships, and relying on those established relationships can be really helpful for people to get advice or to just vent,” Seefeldt said.
Once they do get hired, new stressors can come to the table as well. To which Seefeldt urges patience and perspective.
“I try to normalize that transition. That imposter syndrome feeling is a fairly common thing, especially for new graduates,” Seefeldt said. “It could take a year or two before people really have a hang of what they’re doing, what the job expectations are, getting to know all of the people involved depending on the size of the organization. So patience is obviously important, but hard to practice.”
Self-care and mental well-being
With all of the new pressures added to starting a career, Seefeldt also recommends making time for oneself.
“Practicing mindfulness or relaxation or getting into hobbies give us a break from beating ourselves up about work,” Seefeldt said.
Without self-care, all of the pressures during the transition from school to a career can lead to breakdowns in mental health. So be on the lookout for unhealthy signs.
“If people are noticing changes in their mood or their behavior patterns, sleep, diet, just feeling tired or run down a lot of the time, feeling more irritable about things than they normally would, those are all classic signs of depression and anxiety, but also burnout,” Seefeldt said.
The issues above aren’t the only ones new graduates might be facing. Learning financial basics may also add pressure where there wasn’t any before. Paying off student loans, creating a budget and building credit can all be difficult to incorporate into an already hectic lifestyle change. If all of this pressure starts to feel overwhelming though, Seefeldt recommends reaching out to health professionals. That can mean a check-in with a primary care provider, or a call to a mental health professional.
“That’s really what integrated health is all about, is having mental health folks embedded in clinics so that if a nurse or a doctor does notice something, that maybe it would be helpful to check in with a behavioral health person,” Seefeldt said. “With the age of virtual care and telehealth now, most people are able to connect with someone if they’re willing to meet over video visit. That opens up anyone who’s licensed in the state to practice therapy.”
Additional resources
Seefeldt says that most insurance plans cover behavioral and mental health services. Just be sure to check with your insurance provider.
In fact, there are many different services available based on individual needs and comfort levels. These include nationwide resources such as the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, which can be reached at (240) 485-1001, as well as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which can be contacted by dialing 988.
Learn more
- Podcast: How to find a mental health provider who’s right for you
- Quarter-life crisis is real for many young women
- Where to start mental health care? Your doctor’s office
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Posted In Behavioral Health, Sioux Falls, Specialty Care
