Mental Health Among College 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 disorders are as common among college students as same-aged non-students, and these disorders seem to be growing in amount and severity. It is not unusual for undergraduate students to experience varying levels of anxiety, depression, and stress during their matriculation; some college students experience academic stressors as well as non-academic stressors. Non-academic stressors could include seemingly obvious issues like moving away from family for the first time or some issues that may be harder to recognize like private health concerns. Dr. Richard Kadison, chief of mental health services at Harvard University and author of “College of the Overwhelmed” reported that almost 50% of college students are likely to suffer some degree of

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.

Field, Tiffany, et al. "Depression and related problems in university students." College Student Journal, vol. 46, no. 1, 2012, p. 193+. Student Resources In Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A285532033/SUIC?u=tel_a_beaman&sid=SUIC&xid=7c414f9c. Accessed 17 Apr. 2018.

Doctor Constance Scharff pens an article discussing suicide on college campuses and the overwhelmed mental health system that is responsible for monitoring the students’ needs (Scharff, 2015). The article mentions that college aged students more frequently receive mental health services as youth to be able to handle the college stressors in the future. This trend the facilities are ill equipped to deal with the more complicated mental health issues like suicide. Unlike other articles reporting on suicide, this article promotes positive ways to deal with the stressors instead of blaming the system for the rise in deaths or problems.

The issue of mental health has recently become an important issue throughout America, especially with young adults. College campuses are critical to a majority of these young adults, and their environment on them are extremely important for creating a healthy and safe place for them to live and grow. At the University of Nevada, Reno, students need more opportunities and better resources in order to thrive both as students and as people. Throughout this proposal, there have been suggestions that, if put in place, can improve the Student Health Center and in return, benefit the students of the university. By collaborating more directly with students, focusing more on participation, and broadening their outreach, the Student Health Center will

Field, Tiffany, et al. "Depression and related problems in university students." College Student Journal, vol. 46, no. 1, 2012, p. 193+. Student Resources In Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A285532033/SUIC?u=tel_a_beaman&sid=SUIC&xid=7c414f9c. Accessed 17 Apr. 2018.

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

Thesis: Mental Illness in colleges needs to be addressed because of the rise in college students being diagnosed in mental health problems.

   Today a college education can overload students with too many stressful situations. Not only does Stress overload today's college students, but it is also the leading cause of personality disorders. In her essay, Cathy Bell explains that major depressive disorder strikes 5-12% of men and 10-20% of women; half of these people will have more than one occurrence and 15% of them will commit suicide ("Depression for the young"). For instance, many depressives are first recognized and treated during their years in college. For a large amount of people, depression exposes itself because of traumatizing experiences, such as leaving home and/or academic stress. For other students alcohol and drugs become a

Of course even with all the research and knowledge on these illnesses and their treatments, so called naysayers still exist. These opposers can almost be broken up into three categories: Those who have never experienced any type of mental health problems and still deny their severity: Those with depression and anxiety, who feel hopeless and that doing anything to correct their behavioral problems is impossible: And lastly, those who believe only medications can help those that are suffering and any form of help or influence the side effects of these illnesses invalidates the severity of the sufferers problems. During their research in “Attitudes and Beliefs about Treatment Among College Students with Untreated Mental Health Problems,” out of all the participants, 23% thought that help was unneeded for those with mental health problems. Most of students that lacked assurance of treatment effectiveness, attributed their beliefs to the unsureness of the severity of their problem, the idea their problems could not be fixed, or were just completely unsure how to seek out treatment options. (Eisenberg. Et al.)

There are a multitude of elements that influence the onset of depression and depressed feelings. The daily stressors of college life are one contributing factor to depression in college students. Some of the other stressors include: conflict between work and family, relationship problems, financial concerns, and poor grades, lack of social support or networks, a sense of not belonging, having fewer friends, and experiencing loneliness (Lindsey 2009). The economy has had an impact on every party of our society, including education. Heavy student loans are just another burden on these kids who do not know what their future career will hold for them (Curetalk). These different responsibilities are just other factors that influence the emotional health of college students.

The impact of stress among college students may have a negative impact on the student’s psychological health. Research indicates that depression rates in college students have been increasingly rising over the years. In 2012, a study was conducted by the National Survey of Counseling Centers which resulted in 91% of the researchers found an increase in students with psychological needs. To resolve college students’ stressors, Surgeon General and additional research studies propose that students who are more active exhibit a decrease in stress, anxiety, and depression. In order to improve and retain a healthy lifestyle, physical activity

Campus mental health statistics paint an alarming picture of the incidence of suicide rates on college campuses and by some measures they are getting worse. Almost one in three students have admitted to considering suicide. Mental health needs on campus are real and serious, they are also growing, which is