Office of Student Life
Student Wellness Center
Mental Health and Resiliency

Mental Health and Resiliency

According to the CDC, “mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.”

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, poor mental health and mental illness are not the same. A person can experience poor mental health and not be diagnosed with a mental illness. Likewise, a person diagnosed with a mental illness can experience periods of physical, mental and social well-being.

One way to improve your mental health is to focus on increasing your resilience. 

“Highly resilient people are flexible, adapt to new circumstances quickly, and thrive in constant change. Most important, they expect to bounce back and feel confident that they will. They have a knack for creating good luck out of circumstances that many others see as bad luck.” - Siebert, 2005, The Resiliency Advantage 

Resilience Basics:

  • Resilience is a universal capacity
  • Different people possess different levels of resilience
  • High levels of resilience are a result of nurturing your inherent capacity for resilience 

Ten Dimensions of Wellness

View the Ten Dimensions of Wellness Guide to learn more about resources available on- and off-campus for all Ten Dimensions of Wellness.  On this guide, you can sort the resources by dimension of wellness by simply clicking the options in the left-hand navigation menu.

Crisis / Urgent Resources

If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911.

  • Counseling and Consultation Service after hours. After-hours support is available by calling 614-292-5766 and pressing #2 to be connected to a counselor in the evening, overnight or during the weekend. 
  • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources. Dial 988
  • Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio 24-hour Helpline. Trained volunteer and staff advocates provide emotional support, crisis intervention and community resource information over the phone to survivors of sexual violence, co-survivors and the community. 614-267-7020

Guided Meditations

Sleep Resources

Stress Management Resources

Student Life Disability Services 

Disability Services provides academic accommodations to students with documented disabilities, including medical and mental health conditions. To find out more about the services available, visit their Accommodations and Services page. To learn how to register with Disability Services, visit their Registration Process page or contact the office at 614-292-3307 / slds@osu.edu.

Ohio State Suicide Prevention 

The Ohio State University Suicide Prevention website is a comprehensive compilation of suicide prevention information for the Ohio State University community from emergency self-help to academic research on suicidology. It includes referral, educational and resource information and programs aimed at faculty, staff, students and parents associated with Ohio State.

Have something to add? Contact wellness@osu.edu.