When the temperature begins to drop, Buckeye spirits can go along with it.

Students who feel that they have no one to talk or turn to about their problems have several options available, both on campus and off, at very low costs.

The Ohio State Counseling and Consultation Service, located on the fourth floor of the Younkin Success Center, provides students and anyone who is interested, with a person to talk to when they feel low or depressed.

The CCS provides OSU students with 10 free counseling sessions per academic year. The center’s available staff includes graduate and postgraduate students, but offers the highest professional help in social workers and psychiatrists.

“We do have psychiatrists who can provide medication if necessary,” said Mike Folmar, clinical director for the CCS.

Folmar said as the academic year progresses, they tend to see more students coming in.

“Most students start coming in at the end of autumn quarter and continue on through winter and then into spring,” Folmar said. “The pressure of being a college student increases over time.”

Folmar also referred to studies show winter to be a high-stress time, in which people seem more depressed than during the summer months.

“Some people’s depression has a seasonal component,” Folmar said. “Some are affected by the weather, some by the lack of sunlight.”

The CCS clientele encompasses a plethora of mental conditions.

“We see a wide variety of people with many different problems, such as anxiety, family or relationship problems, sexual concerns and even substance abuse and drinking problems,” Folmar said.

Folmar wants to reassure those students who just aren’t sure if it’s the right thing to do.

“When people first come in, they are understandably apprehensive,” Folmar said. “What they need to know is that we are on their side. We are trying to help them.”

Folmar said they tend to see more upperclassmen and graduate students, as opposed to freshmen.

“Some freshmen are not aware of the services when they come here. There are a lot of adjustments and everything is new,” Folmar said. “They need to know that the option is there.”

North Central Mental Health Services, 1301 N. High St., provides the same type of counseling to students, but on a sliding payment scale.

“A student meets with a counselor, who looks over their income,” said Susan Jennings, spokeswoman for NCMHS. “They then determine how much a student pays based on their income.”

Jennings said it is worthwhile to talk with a financial counselor. It is understandable for students to be apprehensive before coming in for the first time.

“It’s all right to be nervous. The first time you do anything, it’s rather intimidating, but you do it anyway,” Jennings said.

Dr. Charles Emery, director of Clinical Training for the Department of Psychology at OSU, said that sometimes friends are not always the right people to talk with, as they do not have the objectivity of a professional.

“Some students feel reluctant to come in. There is a stigma associated with coming in for help,” Emery said. “You are perceived as weak, weird or different, and that is not the case. Everyone has stress, and most people need help dealing with it from time to time.”

The Psychological Services Center, in room 142 of Townshend Hall, provides students with an unlimited amount of counseling sessions.

“It is best to call,” Emery said. “We have a brief phone interview to decide the appropriate placement for you. You’re not locked into anything and can stop coming at any time.”

Emery said it is their goal to help students get back on their feet on their own.

“A student can learn the necessary skills for a particular situation. So the next time, they will be able to handle it on their own,” he said.

“Check it out. You might see something helpful in coming in,” Emery said.

Anyone interested in these services can contact the Ohio State Counseling and Consultation Service.