Everybody knows that rainy days and Mondays can get you down, it is when they keep you down that you may have a problem with your mental health.

About 44 percent of college students report having symptoms of depression according to Healthline.com.  This is a staggering number, and it begs the question, what factors affect mental health?  While diet, social life, and exercise can play an important role in preventing and managing mental illness The Scoop wanted to find out the role spiritual wellness plays in mental health.

In order to better understand those affected with mental health issues, and the various roles spirituality has or has not played in mental health management, we talked to two students who deal with mental health issues: Holly Zinke, a senior at Missouri State University and John Fritz, a junior at Drury University.

“I was always a shy kid,” said Zinke.

When discussing her mental health history she cited her involvement with music and sports up through high school as being instrumental in helping her cope.  However, when she got to college and was no longer involved in either activity she began to experience stress and anxiety.  “When I stopped doing the things I loved, mostly my thoughts just overruled my world.”

Zinke explained how her spiritual life has affected her mental health.  “It has to do with how my faith has changed and the current spiritual community I am in.”  Zinke is a member of Gamma Alpha Lambda, a Christ-centered sorority, as well as being involved with bible studies and volunteer work at The Potter’s House, a ministry-based coffee shop by the Missouri State campus.

When considering her past Zinke said, “There were times I felt guilty for not being a perfect person.”  However, she believes that the continuing maturation of her faith is instrumental in managing her mental health saying that she’s learned that it is okay to not be okay as long as she trusts in God.

“I’ve hit rock bottom before because I wasn’t with God,” Zinke explained.  “I was trying to carry the world on my shoulders.”  She also stated that her faith gives her a purpose believing that loving others is God’s role for her.

Zinke however does not think that being spirituality healthy is to only thing that affects mental health saying, “All aspects of your health are connected.”  She said that getting help from professionals is very important, but that “prayer and having faith can help.”

When asked about his mental health history John Fritz said that a year and a half ago he was diagnosed with moderate to severe depression and General Anxiety Disorder.

“I didn’t do anything for it, didn’t seek counseling, didn’t get medication that first semester,” said Fritz, “about halfway through I stopped and went on medical leave.”  He is currently in his first semester back at Drury since the fall of 2015.

When asked about his beliefs, Fritz who is a humanist, said, “I have beliefs but none of them transcend the human experience.”

In addition, Fritz believes that the world is inherently meaningless.  “We have to create our meaning, we have to find what matters to us and through our will make it matter in the world.”  Fritz does not feel that this has been detrimental to handling his mental health saying, “I think I’m where everyone is at until they get religious beliefs.  It affects other people’s coping, not mine.”

Fritz believes that his coping process has differed from a person of faith’s because he has all the power.

“Naturally medication has helped me,” Fritz explains,”but it’s all about me being able to talk about it, it’s about me being able to express myself in the ways that I want to.”

Fritz mentioned that his biggest coping strategy for his anxiety is just to tell people and has been managing through medication and creating a community where he can be himself.  “Coping is an ongoing process.”

Jenna Steele, MS, LPC, is a mental health counselor at Drury University.  When asked if there was a correlation between spirituality and mental health Steele said, “I absolutely do.  I think that mental health is positively influenced by someone’s spirituality.”

Steele went to to explain that it could provide someone with a source of comfort.  “In most religions or senses of spirituality, there is something that is greater than you and I think in a time where people feel out of control, that can provide a sense of security for them.”

Steele believes that spiritually can provide hope, thoughts of self-worth through reflection, add meaning to life, and provide a community.

When asked if spirituality could negatively impact someone’s mental health Steele said, “The only example that comes to mind is when someone is struggling with their sense of spirituality.” Overall though she believes that it is much more common for it to be positive rather than negative.

Steele recommends that if you are struggling, don’t just look at one aspect of wellness and to seek professional help.