Therapy

Dr. Hannah Roberts · September 26, 2024 ·

5 Ways to Combat

Homesickness and Loneliness in College

By Ellen M. Jones, M.A., LMFT, Thrive Therapist

“‘When you feel homesick,’ he said, ‘just look up.

Because the moon is the same wherever you go.'”

~Donna Tart

It’s time for another new school year! As you return from a summer at home, or as you take your first steps as a college student on your new campus, you might notice that things feel different than they did at home. There are exciting new experiences, people to meet, food to enjoy, and events to partake in, but sometimes amongst all the excitement, you might be missing home and feeling lonely. I remember my first year at Cal Poly, SLO when all of the fun from the Week of Welcome ended — I was feeling a little down and lost from missing my community back home. I had a roommate who was rarely in our room, something that I thought I would love, but ended up making me feel pretty lonely. I didn’t have a car to drive the 230+ miles home and visit and it just seemed like everyone else had more friends than I did. I was homesick.

Perhaps a little homesickness has crept into your excitement and with it, some feelings of anxiety and/or depression. Although mild homesickness is completely normal and part of the universal human experience, intense homesickness can be deeply distressing and debilitating (Thurber, 2012). As psychologist, John T. Cacioppo (2008), writes in Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection, “When we are lonely, we not only react more intensely to the negatives; we also experience less of a soothing uplift from the positives.” In other words, when we are homesick and feeling alone, we are more likely to give into negative ways of thinking and less likely to allow ourselves to feel comfort. When we feel alone, life just gets a little more difficult.

What can I do to help combat my homesickness and loneliness?

Stay Connected with Your Friends and Family at Home

Just because your support system may be physically far away, does not mean that you have to be emotionally distant from them. Reaching out to your community for support during a challenging time is an important part of your mental health. Snap a photo of something that reminds you of a friend at home and send it to them, or give them a call when something exciting happens in your day. These are some of my favorite ways to stay connected with my loved ones from afar. No matter how far you are from home or how lonely you feel, don’t forget about the people at home because they want to hear from you — stay connected to your roots.

Create a New Routine for Yourself.

Along with utilizing your support system at home, it is important to focus on your day-to day in your new life and create a routine for yourself. As you start a new school year, this is the perfect time to focus on building healthy habits. Check out our recent blog articles about self-care and sleep quality for some pointers on what to be incorporating into your new routine. Focusing on what your day-to-day looks like can help you to stay present and engaged in the world you are curating around you. Being present with your current experience can be an important part of dealing with the homesickness.

Connect to Nature

Nature can also be an incredible source for feeling belonging and keeping loneliness away (especially the existential kind). In the 1960s, psychiatrist Harold Searles voiced this notion by stating that the natural world remains an integral part of the human psychological experience and to ignore this aspect is, “at peril to [our] psychological well-being” (Passmore, & Howell, 2014, p. 376). In a study conducted by psychologists within a shopping mall, natural elements were put into place and then removed to study a correlation between nature and sociability. In this study they found, “Even within built environments, brief exposure to natural elements has been shown to be conducive to improving social connections” (Passmore, & Howell, 2014, pg 378). So even if you’re engaging with Nature alone, you are spending time potentially in service of your social connections (along with the enjoyment of engaging with Nature itself). Nature is helpful at reminding us that when we are alone, it is always there for us. Check out our other blog post about the benefits of time in Nature.

Engage Socially & Build Community on Campus

Another important aspect for fighting off feelings of homesickness and loneliness in college is to get involved in campus life. Orient yourself to your new campus and get a good understanding of where the university services are located. It is important that you know where to go if you feel like you need help on campus. Along with this, check out the clubs and social gatherings happening all around you. Have you ever had an interest in learning to rock climb or throwing pottery or learning to basket weave? There’s probably a campus club for that. Do you identify as a POC, LGBTQIA+ or part of a marginalized community? There are safe spaces for belonging on campus. Connecting with like-minded individuals will help you to feel less lonely on campus. If you’re feeling shy, try introducing yourself to the person next to you in class or attending a club event as a spectator. If you’re feeling debilitating social anxiety, it might be time to talk with a professional.

Seek Professional Support

Talking to a professional therapist can be crucial if homesickness and loneliness in college is keeping you from reaching your full potential. While some of these difficult feelings are completely normal during such a big transition, if they feel debilitating or like they may be hindering you, it might be time to get some professional support. I have worked with many students and understand the intricacies of how loneliness, homesickness, social anxiety, and feelings of depression can show up in college. Schedule a session with me today and we can work together to find a deeper path to healing.

Along with the above tips, it is helpful to remember: you are not alone. Hopefully, reaching out for support from family, friends, and professionals can help you to remember this when your homesickness and loneliness in college begin to feel like a burden.

We hope you enjoyed this blog post. Have more topics you’d like us to blog about? Contact us and we’ll be sure to include your topic in a future post.

References

Cacioppo, John T., et al. (2008). Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection. Tantor Media.

Passmore, H.-A., & Howell, A. J. (2014). Eco-existential positive psychology: Experiences in nature, existential anxieties, and well-being. The Humanistic Psychologist, 42(4), 370–388.

Thurber, Christopher A., and Edward A. Walton. (2012). “Homesickness and adjustment in university students.” Journal of American College Health 60(5) 415–419. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2012.673520.

Dr. Hannah Roberts · May 23, 2024 ·

Graduating from Therapy – What to Expect

Learning to Thrive: A How-To Guide for Therapy

by Gavin Hannegan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo undergraduate intern, supervised by Dr. Hannah Roberts

Hello Thrivers! Welcome to the final installment of a three-part series called, “Learning to Thrive: A How-To Guide for Therapy.” This series will help you understand what to expect from the beginning and end of your therapy journey. Over the past few months, we’ve explored how therapy can be an effective self-care tool no matter what your needs are. Now, let’s put those discussions into context as we explore graduating from therapy.

Wait, graduating from therapy? Wouldn’t that be counterintuitive coming from therapists? After all, we even have a blog post dedicated to the evidence-based benefits of long-term therapy. But long-term therapy doesn’t mean that you have to see your therapist for the rest of your life. Graduating from therapy is a lot like graduating from college. It’s an achievement that not only captures how hard you’ve been working, but it also signifies that you’re ready to apply your new skills out in your day-to-day life. For today’s post, we will be answering the following questions about graduation in order to best support you in this process:

How Do I Know When it’s Time to Graduate?

Consider if you have met the goals that you and your therapist have developed since your first session. Maybe you’ve been able to properly process a traumatic event you experienced, or perhaps you’ve been able to consistently address new stressors in your life using healthier strategies. You may even feel like you can continue working towards your goals without the direct guidance of a therapist.

If you’re thinking about graduation, give yourself plenty of time to discuss with your therapist. Oftentimes, your therapist might be the one to initiate this conversation and propose the idea of graduation (Olivera et al., 2021). Like you would with any other therapy work, collaborate with your therapist to plan out what graduation from therapy will look like for you. This mutual agreement will both strengthen the therapeutic bond and improve the likelihood of a successful transition out of therapy (Olivera et al., 2021). These conversations may continue throughout a couple of sessions to ensure that both you and your therapist are comfortable and prepared for graduation.

What Will My Final Therapy Session Look Like?

The focus of this session is to create a sense of closure with your therapeutic relationship. Your therapist will give you the space to reflect on what you have achieved through therapy, be open about your feelings surrounding graduation from therapy, and to explore how you will maintain your mental health gains following therapy termination (Norcross et al., 2017). You can also talk with your therapist about your expectations and their boundaries regarding communication post-treatment. Due to ethical guidelines, this type of communication should be kept to a minimum. But your therapist may be okay with you reaching out if you ever need a brief check-in, you’re ready for another chapter, or if you would like a referral for you or someone else. Additionally, feel free to update your therapist on your progress post graduation; it’s a great feeling for therapists to know that their clients are doing well. And we’re always thinking of you! This session can be a bittersweet moment for you and your therapist, so feel what you need to feel. Although it may be sad to leave your therapist, try to walk away from this session with a sense of pride, because you deserve it.

How Can I Navigate Life Without Therapy?

Evidence-based therapy practices are designed for long-term success. Many of the therapy models that we offer here at Thrive have been found to support clients after their graduation from therapy. Here are some highlights from recent studies:

A meta-analysis of 69 clinical trials found that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) consistently reduced symptoms of anxiety disorders up to a year after treatment (van Dis et al., 2019).
Through interviews, clients of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) revealed that they have been able to navigate conflicts and build social connections more effectively in the years following graduation (Gillespie et al., 2022).
Compared to standard treatment from a healthcare provider, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is significantly more successful in reducing the likelihood of relapse for depression symptoms (McCartney et al., 2020).
Another meta-analysis featuring clinical data from over 34,000 clients with depression reported that varying different therapies, including CBT and interpersonal therapy, all produced healthier outcomes within a year of graduation (Cuijpers et al., 2021).

Therapy provides you with the tools to navigate life, but you’ve always been in charge of using these tools. If you’ve been practicing these strategies in your everyday life already, then the transition out of therapy may not feel as jarring as you would think. Remember that your last few sessions will help you gain the confidence to make this transition. You and your therapist wouldn’t have discussed graduation if you both didn’t feel it was the right choice to make.

Is It Okay to Eventually Go Back to Therapy?

Yes, the door is always open! While you may not need a weekly session anymore, you can always schedule a check-in with your therapist when you need it. These sessions would be especially helpful for putting your therapy strategies into a new context, such as an unexpected crisis. You may also have a new development on a previous area of concern that you may want to discuss with your therapist. Keep in mind that at this phase in your therapy journey, your sessions will be more about the maintenance and fine-tuning of your mental health. The growth you experience may seem less pronounced compared to the first six weeks you started therapy, but you will continue to see improvements as you take care of yourself. (Wojnarowski et al., 2019). Your graduation might be the end of this particular therapy chapter, but continue to prioritize your own needs. Help is available whenever you need it.

For those of you who are graduating from therapy, congratulations on this accomplishment! Therapy can be intensive work, and your graduation from therapy is a testament to your perseverance and determination to show up for yourself. You may continue to face challenges in your everyday life, but your experience in therapy will leave you equipped to overcome those challenges. We hope this series played even just a small role in your self-care journey. Best of luck as you enter this new chapter, and we can’t wait to see you THRIVE!

Have more questions or feel ready to start therapy in California today? Schedule a session with one of our therapists! You can schedule online here!

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! Have more topics you’d like us to blog about? Contact us and we’ll be sure to include your topic in a future post.

References

Cuijpers, P., Quero, S., Noma, H., Ciharova, M., Miguel, C., Karyotaki, E., Cipriani, A., Cristea, I. A., & Furukawa, T. A. (2021). Psychotherapies for depression: a network meta-analysis covering efficacy, acceptability and long-term outcomes of all main treatment types. World Psychiatry, 20(2), 283-293. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20860

Gillespie, C., Murphy, M., Kells, M., & Flynn, D. (2022). Individuals who report having benefitted from dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT): a qualitative exploration of process and experiences at long-term follow-up. Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation, 9(8), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-022-00179-9

McCartney, M., Nevitt, S., Lloyd, A., Hill, R., White, R., & Duarte, R. (2020). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for prevention and time to depressive relapse: Systematic review and network meta-analysis. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 143(1), 6-21. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13242

Norcross, J. C., Zimmerman, B. E., Greenberg, R. P., & Swift, J. K. (2017). Do all therapists do that when saying goodbye? A study of commonalities in termination behaviors. Psychotherapy, 54(1), 66-75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pst0000097

Olivera, J., Challú, L., Gómez Penedo, J. M., & Roussos, A. (2017). Client-therapist agreement in the termination process and its association with therapeutic relationship. Psychotherapy, 54(1), 88-101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pst0000099

van Dis, E. A. M., van Veen, S. C., Hagenaars, M. A., Batelaan, N. M., Bockting, C. L. H., van den Heuvel, R. M., Cuijpers, P., & Engelhard, I. M. (2020). Long-term outcomes of cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety-related disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry, 77(3), 265-273. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.3986

Wojnarowski, C., Firth, N., Finegan, M., & Delgadillo, J. (2019). Predictors of depression relapse and recurrence after cognitive behavioural therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 47(5), 514-529. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352465819000080

Dr. Hannah Roberts · May 16, 2024 ·

Your First Therapy Session – What to Expect

Learning to Thrive: A How-To Guide for Therapy

by Gavin Hannegan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo undergraduate intern, supervised by Dr. Hannah Roberts

Hello Thrivers! Welcome to the second installment of a three-part series called, “Learning to Thrive: A How-To Guide for Therapy.” This series will help you understand what to expect from the beginning and end of your therapy journey. Over the past few months, we’ve explored how therapy can be an effective self-care tool no matter what your needs are. Now, let’s put those discussions into context as we explore your first therapy session.

Your initial meeting with your therapist will help you feel more prepared for your subsequent therapy sessions. You’ll gain experience with the ~50 minute timeframe, begin building the therapeutic relationship, and start adjusting to your chosen setting. This can be exciting, but may feel a little intimidating too. You might not know what to say or you may even feel pressured to present yourself a certain way. Know that it is okay to not feel fully comfortable. On the flip side, don’t expect to be fully healed the moment you leave this first session. Remember, this is only the beginning of your journey. You have so much time to grow!

Overall, your first therapy session is:

A Chance for Your Therapist to Get to Know You

There’s no better place to talk about yourself than in therapy. Of course, your therapist wants to understand why you’re seeking out therapy. But more importantly, your therapist wants to establish a connection with you. Therapist-client bonding serves a few different purposes:

It demonstrates the therapist’s investment in the client and that they care about what the client has to say.
It helps build trust between both the therapist and the client.
It allows the therapist to be more attentive to the needs of that client, and the client to respond more positively to therapy (Vandenberghe et al., 2018).

Over time, the more open you are with your therapist, the better you and your therapist can tailor your self-care strategies to fit your individual needs. But at this stage of therapy, share what you feel comfortable sharing. You may not feel ready to fully disclose everything about an area of concern. And with only 50 minutes in this first session, you simply may not have enough time. Think of this session as the “getting to know you” stage of the relationship. The goal is to make sure that both you and your therapist would be comfortable working together.

An Opportunity to Learn More About Your Therapist

The field of therapy has moved past the idea that therapists are “unknowable,” or that there should be rigid boundaries between the therapist and the client. While the focus of the session should not be on the therapist, you are more than welcome to ask your therapist questions about themselves. This can make your therapist feel more relatable and approachable. For example, therapists that disclose their mental health status, to a moderate extent, are perceived more favorably by their clients compared to therapists who do not practice self-disclosure (McCormic et al., 2019). Believe it or not, your therapist is human, too, and they may have personal experience with the topics you bring up in your first therapy session, in addition to their clinical experience. If you’re curious about your therapist, and you believe the information will help you feel more comfortable, then ask!

A Safe Space to Express Your Emotions

Being open with your emotions is a skill. Some of you may have grown up in an environment where you felt like you had to hide your true emotions, or otherwise didn’t get the necessary practice to hone this skill. This may be new territory, but your first therapy session will help you navigate it. When discussing your area of concern, pay attention to the emotions that come up for you. Such sensations can range from a feeling of tension and restraint to feeling like you’ve released a floodgate of tears. It is okay for your emotions to feel messy. You and your therapist will work together to identify your emotions and understand where they are coming from. Once you can name these emotions, you can tame them. No matter which emotions arise, know that your feelings are valid. Learning to accept your emotions and thoughts can improve your psychological well-being. By asserting more control over your negative emotions specifically, you can better adapt to and overcome daily stressors (Ford et al., 2018). You’ll be provided with the tools to channel your emotions in healthy, productive ways. Having these vulnerable conversations may be the toughest part of your first therapy session, but they will also be the most rewarding.

A Place to Establish Your Goals for Therapy

Moving forward, what do you hope to achieve through therapy? You and your therapist can develop a personalized action plan to make your next sessions feel intentional and productive. Setting goals encourages you to stay committed to the therapeutic relationship; those who do not set goals are more at risk of ending the therapeutic relationship prematurely (Cairns et al., 2019). Goals make your progress in therapy tangible. They illustrate how far you’ve come, and how much farther you want to go. A lot of the work that goes into reaching these goals will be done on your own outside of therapy, but your first therapy session will prepare you for that work. When working with your therapist to develop goals, remember the acronym SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timed (Cairns et al., 2019). Examples of effective SMART goals include:

“I will power down my phone at 9pm before I go to bed at 10pm each night.”
“This Saturday, I will sit down with my roommate after they get home from work and have an open dialogue about our responsibilities in the apartment.”
“When I feel stressed, I will take a minute to practice the box breathing technique.”

The types of goals you set will depend on your individual needs. And sometimes, there may be new topics you want to discuss with your therapist, so some goals may need to be delayed in favor of more pressing ones. There is no timeline for personal growth or healing. Work towards your self-care at your own pace. You have a whole therapy journey ahead of you.

Next week, we will discuss how to bring your therapeutic relationship to a close, and how to adjust to your day-to-day life after therapy. Enjoy your first therapy session!

Have more questions or feel ready to start therapy in California today? Schedule a session with one of our therapists! You can schedule online here!

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! Have more topics you’d like us to blog about? Contact us and we’ll be sure to include your topic in a future post.

References

Cairns, A. J., Kavanagh, D. J., Dark, F., & McPhail, S. M. (2019). Goal setting improves retention in youth mental health: a cross-sectional analysis. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 13(31), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-019-0288-x

Ford, B. Q., Lam, P., John, O. P., & Mauss, I. B. (2018). The psychological health benefits of accepting negative emotions and thoughts: Laboratory, diary, and longitudinal evidence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 115(6), 1075-1092. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000157

McCormic, R. W., Pomerantz, A. M., Ro, E., & Segrist, D. J. (2019). The “me too” decision: An analog study of therapist self-disclosure of psychological problems. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 75(4), 794-800. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22736

Vandenberghe, L., Coppede, A. M., & Bittencourt, M. V. (2018). Building and handling therapeutic closeness in the therapist-client relationship in behavioral and cognitive psychotherapy. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 48, 215-223. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-018-9388-9

Dr. Hannah Roberts · May 9, 2024 ·

Starting Therapy – How to Prepare

Learning to Thrive: A How-To Guide for Therapy

by Gavin Hannegan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo undergraduate intern, supervised by Dr. Hannah Roberts

Hello Thrivers! Welcome to the first installment of a three-part series called, “Learning to Thrive: A How-To Guide for Therapy.” This series will help you understand what to expect as you are starting therapy and continue through the end of your therapy journey. Over the past few months, we’ve explored how therapy can be an effective self-care tool no matter what your needs are. Now, let’s put those discussions into context.

Even if you feel ready, starting therapy can still feel daunting, especially for the first time. If you’re asking yourself, “Where do I even start?”, this guide is for you! Our goal is to alleviate any uncertainties you may have about the initial contact with your chosen therapist. Here are a few recommendations to help make this process feel comfortable and accessible.

Set Aside a Weekly Time for Therapy

It’s helpful if you have an idea of when you would be willing and able to meet with a therapist. Therapy sessions tend to last about 50 minutes, but you may need to factor in additional amounts of time for commuting to and from the therapist’s office, for example. Additionally, to be fully present, give yourself a few minutes before and after the session to center yourself, identify your goals for the session, and reflect on what was discussed. Your sessions should be a consistent part of your schedule, but it shouldn’t become a burden. Unfortunately, a perceived lack of time tends to be one of the largest barriers for mental health treatment among college students, especially those from ethnic or racial minority backgrounds (Miranda et al., 2015). The good news is that the format of therapy can be flexible to meet your needs. You can meet with your therapist virtually, meet with an on-campus professional, or schedule a nature therapy appointment to combine therapy with movement outdoors. Weekend sessions are also an option if you have a full workload during the week. An agreed time between you and your therapist is one of the first steps in starting therapy and crafting the therapeutic relationship.

Select a Therapist That You Will Feel Comfortable Working With

Therapy is a space that allows you to be vulnerable and open about yourself, so it is important that you find someone who is capable of holding space for you. Your therapist does not have to come from the same background as you, but they should have the experience necessary to make you feel affirmed, heard, and supported. One way to gauge if a therapist is right for you is to read their bios. Click the “Meet Us” section to learn more about the team behind Thrive. Psychology Today is a great resource for finding therapists in SLO county, virtually in California, and all across the country. These bios will contain the therapist’s specializations (eating disorders, LGBTQ+ care, etc.), the format of their sessions (in-person or virtual), the cost of each session and how to pay for it, and their contact information. Feel free to reach out to a therapist if you have specific questions about their style and practices. And don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself as you’re starting therapy. Therapy clients see the greatest improvements in their mental health when both the therapist and the client believe in the strength of their relationship (Zilcha-Mano et al., 2017). Choose a therapist that you would be comfortable working with in order to build this strong relationship.

Consider How You Might Pay for Your Sessions

A common challenge in starting therapy is concerns about the cost (Miranda et al., 2015). In a study of over 12,000 adults with a mental illness, over 70% cited financial concerns for their lack of treatment, particularly among those with no health insurance (Walker et al., 2015). In SLO, the cost of a session usually ranges from $150-$250, which is what you can expect with your Thrive therapist as well. While money can be a sensitive subject, remember that therapy can accommodate your needs. Attending therapy sessions from home can reduce transportation costs. When reading the bios of different therapists, identify a price range that would fit well within your budget. Psychology Today lists the different payment methods that therapists accept, such as credit cards, Venmo, and cash. Each bio also lists which insurance each therapist can take. Some therapists may offer a sliding scale depending on your income. Remember, if you have a PPO insurance, you may be able to get some reimbursement for your sessions. And finally, colleges and universities may offer free or reduced-cost therapy sessions with on-campus treatment centers – Cal Poly’s Graduate Students offer low-cost services for all (you do NOT need to be a student) at the SLO Counseling Service at Cal Poly. There are a variety of options to help you afford your therapy sessions. Build your therapy into your budget so it doesn’t feel overwhelming.

Remind Yourself That You’re Deserving of This Care

The stigma against mental health is rampant and pervasive. When we start to internalize these messages, we become less likely to seek help for ourselves (Schnyder et al., 2017). Instead of listening to problematic messaging in society, surround yourself with uplifting voices. Think about the goals you hope to achieve through therapy and let that motivate you. Practice some daily affirmations such as, “I am worthy,” “I feel inspired,” or “I want to grow.” Share your concerns with a friend who would be happy to support you in this journey. Be open about these insecurities with your therapist so that you two can identify and work towards a solution. It may take time to build your self-worth, but that’s part of what therapy is for!

Feeling ready for starting therapy? Next week, we will identify what this initial session may look like, and discuss strategies to help you adjust to this new environment. We’re so excited to see where therapy takes you!

Have more questions or feel ready to start therapy in California today? Schedule a session with one of our therapists! You can schedule online here!

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! Have more topics you’d like us to blog about? Contact us and we’ll be sure to include your topic in a future post.

References

Miranda, R., Soffer, A., Polanco-Roman, L., Wheeler, A., & Moore, A. (2015). Mental health treatment barriers among racial/ethnic minority versus white young adults 6 months after intake at a college counseling center. Journal of American College Health, 63(5), 291-298. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2015.1015024

Schnyder, N., Panczak, R., Groth, N., & Schultze-Lutter, F. (2017). Association between mental health-related stigma and active help-seeking: systematic review and meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 210(4), 261-268. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.116.189464

Walker, E. R., Cummings, J. R., Hockenberry, J. M., & Druss, B. G. (2015). Insurance status, use of mental health care in the United States. Psychiatric Services, 66(6), 578-584. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201400248

Zilcha-Mano, S., Snyder, J., & Silberschatz, G. (2017). The effect of congruence in patient and therapist alliance on patient’s symptomatic levels. Psychotherapy Research, 27(3), 371-380. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2015.1126682

Dr. Hannah Roberts · May 2, 2024 ·

Why Your True Crime Obsession

Is Bad For Your Anxiety

by Gavin Hannegan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo undergraduate intern, supervised by Dr. Hannah Roberts

Getting scared can feel thrilling and cathartic. Forms of entertainment, like horror movies, are entirely dedicated to instilling these feelings in people. While we can recognize that the monster on the TV screen is not real, the same can’t be said for true crime. There’s an additional layer of fear knowing that these unsolved mysteries or gruesome acts are real-life events. And with podcasts like “Your Own Backyard”, about events that happened in San Luis Obispo County, these stories may feel personally relevant. These aspects are what make the true crime genre distinctly engaging, but they also contribute to some unique health concerns. It’s not the same as watching a scary movie and feeling too scared to fall asleep; with true crime, there are resulting anxieties that persist throughout the day. Read on to understand why you should consider moderating the amount of time spent on true crime.

True Crime Can Make You Feel Vulnerable and Unprotected

We all have a need to feel safe in our environment, but true crime reminds us that safety is not always guaranteed. These cases present the world as a threatening place. International college students report that crime-related media invokes both a general fear of crime and the fear that they may be a victim of a future crime themselves (Shi, 2018). As a result of these fears, our brain responds as if it were dealing with an active threat. College students who frequently interact with crime-based media may modify their behavior in order to protect themselves, whether through spending less time outdoors or carrying a weapon on them. Because women are more often depicted as the victims in crime-related media, women may be more likely to exhibit these behaviors (Custers et al., 2017). Although true crime stories are meant to be unsettling, their use becomes problematic when it impairs our day-to-day functioning.

The More Crime Media We’re Exposed To, the More Fear We Experience

True crime media is easy to consume. There are many different ways to interact with true crime, whether through TV shows, documentaries, or news articles. Podcasts in particular are a popular choice because of their accessibility; you can listen to these stories on your way to school, when you’re working out, or while you’re completing household chores. True crime also encourages consumption. Each series typically provides a deep dive on one specific case. World-building occurs through the extensive details and narratives of each case, which can hook you into the story. Cliffhangers leave you anticipating the next episode. And because these stories are real, we’re more likely to be invested in them (Custers et al., 2017).

But this extended engagement is when we begin to see the most significant increases in anxiety. In general, there is a strong positive correlation between media consumption and the fear of crime amongst young adults (Intravia et al., 2017). A similar effect was observed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic; in this sample, those who consumed COVID-19 related media for 7 times a day not only were more scared of the pandemic, but they also were at greater risk of experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression (Bendau et al., 2021). Rather than being “sensitized” to such content, the opposite effect occurs: we feel more vulnerable to real threats such as COVID-19 or crime the more time we spend with this type of media. True crime is designed to keep you tuning in to the story, and it becomes easy to fall down the rabbit hole of a true crime obsession. However, to prevent this form of entertainment from causing us harm, we need to be more conscious about how we interact with true crime.

How Can I Moderate My True Crime Exposure?

While an easy solution would be to cut off true crime entirely, the goal is to enjoy this type of media without experiencing strong anxieties. A good starting place is to think about why you engage with true crime media. Some of the most common reasons include entertainment, convenience, and boredom (Boling & Hull, 2018). When true crime is only used to mindlessly pass the time, that’s where the health risks can emerge. With boredom, there’s less of a conscious effort to regulate your media usage. As a result, consuming media out of boredom has made adolescents and emerging adults more prone to detrimental health outcomes ranging from negative moods to financial stress (Stockdale & Coyne, 2020). One reason that has been observed specifically in women is that true crime may provide tips for survival, including information about the criminal justice system and their risk of victimization (Boling & Hull, 2018). But as mentioned previously, constantly absorbing information that reminds you of your vulnerabilities will only exacerbate feelings of anxiety.

If true crime has caused you any stress, prioritize the entertainment aspects and remove yourself from any connections with the stories. Another recommendation is to determine how much time you want to dedicate to true crime and when you want to listen to it. Start by pacing yourself at an episode per day to avoid overconsumption. Listen to true crime in the middle of the day while it’s bright out, rather than at night when you might feel more unprotected. Turn your true crime usage into a social activity by having a group of friends enjoy the stories with you. Feel free to bring up any concerns with true crime to your therapist so you can both develop personalized strategies for healthier listening. Take back control over your usage with true crime to get the most out of the experience!

Have more questions or feel like you need therapy? Schedule a session with one of our therapists today! You can schedule online here!

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! Have more topics you’d like us to blog about? Contact us and we’ll be sure to include your topic in a future post!

References

Bendau, A., Petzold, M. B., Pyrkosch, L., Maricic, L. M., Betzler, F., Rogoll, J., Große, J., Ströhle, A., & Plag, J. (2021). Associations between COVID-19 related media consumption and symptoms of anxiety, depression and COVID-19 related fear in the general population in Germany. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 271, 283-291. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-020-01171-6

Boling, K. S. & Hull, K. (2018). Undisclosed information–Serial is My Favorite Murder: Examining motivations in the true crime podcast audience. Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 25(1), 92-108. https://doi.org/10.1080/19376529.2017.1370714

Custers, K., Hall, E. D., Smith, S. B., & McNallie, J. (2017). The indirect association between television exposure and self-protective behavior as a result of worry about crime: The moderating role of gender. Mass Communication and Society, 20, 637-662. https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2017.1317353

Intravia, J., Wolff, K. T., Paez, R., & Gibbs, B. R. (2017). Investigating the relationship between social media consumption and fear of crime: A partial analysis of mostly young adults. Computers in Human Behavior, 77, 158-168. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.08.047

Shi, L. (2018). A neglected population: Media consumption, perceived risk, and fear of crime among international students. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(5-6), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260518766428

Stockdale, L. A. & Coyne, S. M. (2020). Bored and online: Reasons for using social media, problematic social networking site use, and behavioral outcomes across the transition from adolescence to emerging adulthood. Journal of Adolescence, 79, 173-183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2020.01.010