Depression, Stress, and Anxiety on the Rise in Colleges

Time to shine a spotlight on a subject that isn’t often discussed: the mental health of college students.

A 2008 national survey of college therapistsconducted by the American College Counseling Association (ACCA) showed that the number of students seeking mental help has significantly increased in recent years. In fact, 95% of the college therapists surveyed said more students were coming to them with serious psychological problems. Nearly one in every ten students is now utilizing campus therapists to deal with mental and emotional problems. 

Top reasons students seek help:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Family issues
• Academic stress
• Relationship problems
• Financial problems

It’s worth noting that some campus therapists have seen more of an increase in stress, anxiety, sexual assault, and suicidal thoughts than developmental concerns like relationship problems. Also, the majority of students getting help from campus therapists are female, though suicide rates are significantly higher among males.

Why Are Students so Stressed Out?

There are a lot of theories as to why more students are getting help for mental health problems these days. Though no one theory is definitive, they all shed light on issues college students must now cope with today.

Competition in College

College is undeniably more competitive nowadays than it used to be. As more students have enrolled it’s gotten harder to stand out in the crowd, and there are more people to compete with in the workforce after college. It’s not enough to simply go to college now, students are feeling the pressure to make higher GPAs, get more involved in their major and school organizations.

Competition breeds excellence, but it also leads to increase academic stress and anxiety.

Raised to Succeed but Unable to Cope with Failure

Some believe this added stress is too much for a generation that was raised to have positive self-esteem and succeed in their endeavors. Though they are being raised to succeed they aren’t learning how to cope with failures that are sure to come along the way.

Students that were strong all throughout their secondary education sometimes stumble in college, an unusual scenario they aren’t prepared to cope with. Research conducted by USA Todayin 2006 found that 40% of college suicides were committed by freshmen.

Costs of college

It’s no secret that college costs more now than it ever has, and it may get worse before it gets better. College students are among the most affected by the recession. Not only is it harder to find a job and harder to get loans, now colleges raising tuition to make it through the economic downturn.

As student debt continues to rise year over year, financial concerns continue to plague students and lead to increased levels of stress and anxiety.

Problems Occurring Before College

It may not be college that’s the catalyst for student mental health problems. The ACCA study also found that 93% of therapists were seeing more students coming to college already on psychiatric medication.

In recent years there has been an onslaught of anti-depression and anti-anxiety medications that have made their way into millions of medicine cabinets across the country and college students are no exception. Between 1994 and 2008 the number of college students on psychiatric medication rose from just 9% to 26%.

Is this a Positive Trend?

Some have posed the question, ‘Are more students suffering from mental health problems, or are more students now seeking help rather than dealing with it on their own?’

This is a tough question to answer and it’s likely a little bit of both. Regardless, mental health issues aren’t as taboo as they were 15 years ago, partly due to pharmaceutical companies that make a profit off of pushing mental health concerns and medications.

Now that people are more open and receptive to getting help with mental health concerns, less people are likely to suffer through prolonged problems on their own that could potentially get worse before they get better.

However, while more students are getting help they are also acting act more negatively. College counseling director surveyed noted:

• 52.3% increase in self-inflicted injuries
• 35.6% increase in eating disorders
• 25.4% increase in sexual assault cases

How to Find Help When You Need It

The good news is students now have more mental health help available to them. Roughly 60% of colleges and universities provide psychiatric services right on campus. These services include one-on-one counseling with a professional, peer counseling, workshops and more.

• Talk to your parents.It may not seem like it sometimes, but your parents are some of the best people to turn to if you’re experiencing stress or anxiety. You can rest assured they are looking out for your best interest and they can tell you if mental illness is something that runs in your family.
• If think you need more professional help check first with your school’s Student Health Service which is often part of the Student Affairs Department. There you will find what type of health services your college provides, which varies from school to school.
• Peer counseling and hotlines are another way to get help without feeling like you’re being judged.Many students avoid getting help because they are embarrassed or feel like they’ll be looked at as mentally imbalanced.  Again check with your school’s health organization to find out about options in your area.
• Get online help through informative sites like U Lifeline. You can anonymously find stats, helpful advice and other people’s stories online 24 hours a day. This isn’t a substitute for getting professional help when you need it, but it is a good resource during odd hours.    

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