Increasing Mental Health Issues of University Students

The mental stability of college students has dropped to a staggering low, so low that 1 in 4 college students have reported that the have had suicidal thoughts and actions. That's just the amount that have reported that they are feeling suicidal. So many college students struggle with mental illness and receive no help or guidance in curing and dealing with their illnesses.

Mental health among college students has been proven to be a relevant social issue that our society faces. There are certainly a few different institutions that play a large role within the development of this social issue. The first institution, and the primary institution at play with this issue, is the higher education system. In terms of mental health and having access to resources, college students haven’t always been as lucky as they are today. One study in 2007 explains the story of Junior at Syracuse University (Kravets, 3081). Anita Rutman had a history of mental health issues; she even found herself being admitted to a mental health hospital. One morning in February, she threw herself off of the eighth floor of Boland Hall and landed on a patio and fortunately lived. However, her attempt stemmed from the university sending her letter three days prior that informed Anita that the school was planning to dismiss her because of her suicidal tendencies (Kravets, 3081). Anita later sued Syracuse for ten million dollars for malpractice and negligence in handling her condition.

Another reason why students are not successful in college is that of stress. Relationships, family issues and cost of tuition are stress-related factors that are dealt with a college student. The America Institute of the street website says, “a 2008 mental health study by the Associated Press and mtvU eight in 10 college students say they have experienced stress in their daily lives over the past three months” (Stress in College Students p. 1). The college that I

In the article, “High Anxiety”, the author, Sandra Long Weaver, analyzes the recent spike in anxiety and depression among college students. Weaver explains that the main problem students are facing when they enter college is anxiety and from that they suffer from depression. She explains that young adults are more aware of life events that affect them such as the job prospect. She explains how increased academic standards and parent involvement contributes to the immense rise of these disorders among college students In a student survey she states that over 50% of students suffer from anxiety because of the academic struggles.

Another obstacle that threatens success is health and emotional issues present prior to attending school. Fogg (2009) reveals that graduate school has a reputation for triggering and amplifying depression and mental illness, especially in those already afflicted by mental health issues. Depression may prevent the individual from fully engaging in discussions, completing assignments or even reaching one’s full potential. Strategies to overcome these obstacles include complying with prescribed mental health medications, seeking support from the university’s free resource center, and focusing on self-care activities.

The United States of America has placed a clear goal for all students at every age. The typical route to take is to graduate from high school and then go to a prestigious college/ university. Most academic students look forward to this as they plan properly by taking extracurricular activities and advanced classes to get ahead of the competition. This is commonly known within most students but do they know of the rising mental problems because of the pressure from taking such a typical route? If not, current college students are well aware and they are making Colleges and Universities help them. Students have placed a large demand on schools to be able to treat them from mental problems but the demand has been hard to control from the Universities

The main concern of this article, is the impression that students perceive they can coast through higher education with their parents nurturing and protecting them as they did throughout high school.

In this particular event I learned that mental illness is becoming a growing epidemic around the world on college campuses. The reason it is becoming a growing epidemic is because mental illness is considered an invisible disease, which means because a person can’t see that you’re sick it doesn’t mean that you aren’t sick. Atrocious crimes on college campuses have been attributed to mental illness, thus increasing the negative connotation associated with the condition. As a result, those who suffer from mental illness often feel they must remain silent during their struggle. I think it was really good for college students to hear that they are not alone in fighting mental illness and that it is ok to seek help. I really enjoyed listening

Mental health is a serious topic that is often not taken seriously. Due to my own struggles with depression, I have experienced the impact mental illness can have on a student’s life. Mental illness can make everyday life feel unbearable and can have just as serious of an effect on a person as a physical illness. The causes of increasing mental health problems in college students are numerous, and it will take work from both students and universities to overcome this problem, but change is necessary for the health of U.S. college students.

College represents a form of higher learning. For many, it is also a time for personal growth as we transition into adulthood. This in itself is a stressful situation as one must make drastic adjustments to a new role, environment, and demands. Stress is a major contributor to the development of mental and emotional issues (Rodgers, L., Tennison, L. 2009). Research has been done to determine the impact of depression and anxiety on university students. It has been

Anxiety and Depression disorders are two of the most common mental disorders in the United States (Falsafi, 2016). It appears that the two disorders are widespread amongst college students and most cannot manage the high demands and stress (Falsafi, 2016). Therefore, they feel more prone to depression and anxiety (Falsafi, 2016). According to the authors Miller & Chung, mental health amongst college students in the United States is a growing public health concern and educators are concerned about the low academic performance of college students and how it influences their mental health (Miller, & Chung, 2009). Research indicates that university students suffer with low grades and poor academic performances, while trying to manage depression and anxiety (Falsafi, 2016). With the consistence of higher drop out rates, it is imperative that colleges and universities create programs that assist students with managing their depression and anxiety to help them through their education.

Depression and anxiety among college students is something that experts have focused on for the past twenty years. The information they have been gathering ranges from the different stressors of college life to the effects of one's culture on how they deal with depression or anxiety symptoms. They have identified a few core characteristics of depression and thoughts of suicide. These are both serious concepts in which people need to seek help for. It is important for students to reach out to friends, family, or professionals to support them during this time. Many campuses offer counseling centers which are seeing many more people over the past few years.

College students are susceptible to increased anxiety due to academic stress, identity confusion, and complete responsibility.

College students are a unique population of people who have a variety of different stressors than people who do not attend college (Holinka, 2015). Post-secondary education is a stressful time for both traditional and nontraditional students (Yarbrough & Schaffer, 1990). Regardless of student status whether it may be traditional, nontraditional, freshman- senior, all students experience stress at one time or another. Trenz, Ecklund-Flores, and Rapoza (2015), illustrate those traditional and nontraditional students both face life stress, anxiety, and depression but manage stress, anxiety-provoking events, and negative situations quite differently. Navigating through a new chapter in life increases the amount of stress on an individual. Interestingly, research shows that traditional and nontraditional student sample score similarly when tested on their emotional satisfaction with their support system—suggesting that differences in support are unlikely to explain differences in stress levels between these two groups (Carney-Crompton & Tan, 2002).

Another obstacle that threatens success is health and emotional issues present prior to attending school. Fogg (2009) reveals that graduate school has a reputation for triggering and amplifying depression and mental illness, especially in those already afflicted by mental health issues. Depression may prevent the individual from fully engaging in discussions, completing assignments or even reaching one’s full potential. Strategies to overcome these obstacles include complying with prescribed mental health medications, seeking support from the university’s free resource center, and focusing on self-care activities.