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. Situations like Anita’s could be considered as part of the reason why the mental health of college students has become so prevalent. This research was conducted in 2007 and currently in 2016, 9 years later, there is a different out look on this issue as a whole, but it clearly wasn’t always like it was today. Kravets’ research states that, “policies ranges from voluntary counseling programs that
General trends indicate that the number of university students experiencing mental health problems as well as the severity and complexity of the cases being presented is increasing. (Reijers, S., 2014)
In “A business case or increasing college mental health services” it is made clear to the reader that having a larger staff will eventually pay itself off, but that funding to begin with is what many schools lack to take that chance. One counseling session could make a difference in the student and their future. In Osbergs research, he notes that many the students lead into depression because of grade difficulties, loneliness, money issues, and relationship problems (page 1); most of these symptoms can be avoided by having someone to talk to- a health center available for appointments. College students are constantly changing their minds; it is said that the average students will change their major five times throughout the four years in college, students simply need redirection when they get lost. Singal says that most worriers agree that kids these days are different, different in the sense that we may need more attention and care but only for the better. For redirection when we become misguided by the wrong influencers. College has given students freedom, but many do not know how to use this freedom correctly, and are still in the process of learning. Many cannot handle this freedom and pressure together, causing them to go into depression of the overwhelming sensations. I agree that it is morally correct for Universities to offer help, but the more
Not all students may encounter a problem or condition, but some encounter multiple problems. The types of problems and conditions include changing families, poverty, violence, abuse of alcohol and/or drugs, suicide, and child abuse (Axia College, 2005). These are serious problems that many students face in today’s world, which
One of the target questions focused on St. Liam’s mental health and counseling services. We aim to determine what type of mental health issue increases the number of times undergraduates students visited St. Liam’s for mental health/counseling services. Our results indicated that there is a relationship between the student 's type of issue and the number of visits to St. Liam’s. From this, we can draw from the raw data that the issue most prevalent in causing students to seek out counseling is mental illness such as depression and bipolar disorder, with stress being the third most prominent cause. However, majority of the students reported having no issue, but this did not affect the number of visits these students made to St. Liam’s. An equal number of students reporting no issue made a different amount of trips to St. Liam’s for mental health services, implying that most students are just as likely to use St. Liam’s.
Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental health problems on college campuses. Forty million U.S. adults suffer from an anxiety disorder, and 75 percent of them experience their first episode of anxiety by age 22. In addition, a 2008 Associated Press and mtvU survey of college students found the following: 80 percent say they frequently or sometimes experience daily stress, 34 percent have felt depressed at some point in the past three months, 13 percent have been diagnosed with a mental health condition such as an anxiety disorder or depression, 9 percent have seriously considered suicide in the past year. (Facts)
Emergency calls to Counseling have more than doubled over the past 5 years, and all the calls are for normal problems of everyday life. One of the calls was about how “two students who had sought counseling because they had seen a mouse in their off-campus apartment.” There has also been an “increase in diagnosable mental health problems,” many of the students on campus are on medication. Colleges and universities are supposed to be places with higher academics, where the students are supposed to act like adults, but “parents have recently been asking the personnel at colleges and universities to act as
Sarah Spitz seems just like any other college student, she goes to classes and is involved around campus. In a blog, the following passage appears: "She wears long sleeves and bracelets to cover places where she's cut her arm" (Poole). In some respects, she is a stereotype of a depressed student: cuts and long sleeves, but in other ways she seems like a normal student: active on campus and has close friends. Spitz shows us that while students can exhibit some signs of mental illness, they do not always. They may even seem like normal functioning students. Spitz also shows us that having mental health resources easily available is such a key aspect of a student's success. Although not every student may need mental health resources, it is essential
The third article is associated with psychological disorders increasing in college campuses. Back in 2008 and article reported that half of college students experienced having suicidal episodes or have considered suicide. Many suffered from depression while others were on medication for anxiety or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD). As stated, “Major depressive disorder, for example, has nine criteria including depressed mood; loss of interest or pleasure in activities; changes in appetite or body weigh; changes in sleep patterns; feelings of worthlessness; and suicidal thoughts.” (Reifman, A. ,2011) Stress can contribute to a state of mind easily causing depressed moods along with mood swings. For instance, when bills need to be paid and a worker has been underpaid by his or hers employer things can get stressful. Multiple mental problems can contribute to thoughts of suicide as well. So long as university administrators are aware that mental health is very important to college
The week was lead by Nakiya Findley and Beth Sculley, who both are part of Residence Life. Sculley noted, “The goal of Mental Health Awareness Week is to raise awareness about mental health, particularly in terms of how they affect college-aged students.”
While research does lead to monetary grants and awards, student tuition is a required entity for any successful college. Every year, there are students who drop out, fail out and/or commit suicide due to mental health issues they have been unable to overcome. Having students go through such hardships alone in an institution of learning is wrong. With students being so integral to a college’s success, colleges in turn, need to take larger steps in aiding students with their success. This success is not just limited to academic success but also includes personal success. To continue to be successful in the classroom students need to be successful in their own mind and such mental success should be and has become a priority in society. Also, from the college’s perspective: increased mental health services would increase student performance and increase student retention, therefore bettering the university in general and increasing tuition income. So with such benefits a possibility and the care of one’s fellow man/woman an obvious benefit as well, why are colleges providing so few free mental health services? The answer matters not because this needs to change. Mental health is a key component to a positive and successful life and colleges need to begin tackling this important issue that can affect everyone, from the underage freshman to the college president. Time to end the stigma together and take mental health head
Imagine that you are the first one in your family to be accepted to and attend a college or university. Or that you are only able to go to college because of a scholarship, or multiple scholarships. Or that you had to take out loans to be able to get a higher education. Or any combination of those scenarios. Now imagine your family and your friends being extremely proud of the fact that you made it to college. Everyone counting on you to do an excellent job and succeed and make something of yourself. That is a lot of pressure, right? College students are weighted down by enormous amounts of pressure coming from many various sources. Family, academics, finances, work, and social interactions all contribute to a student’s life and mental health and there should be more awareness of this.
“A girl fell off the fourteenth floor!” That was the response I received when I inquired about the ambulances outside my dorm at the beginning of my Sophomore year of college. The truth of what happened was much more unsettling. Instead of an accident, the girl had actually jumped from her dorm window, leaving behind a note saying ending her life was the only way to stop her pain. I had known her briefly when she was my Orientation Leader the year before. Her friends and family all expressed shock and disbelief. There was no warning, no signs at all she was struggling or suffering. In the midst of an outpouring of grief and empathy, many students admitted that they also had suicidal thoughts, but likewise would never ask for help. Growing up
I would give the article an ‘A’ grade as it highlights serious issues related to mental health of college students. First of all the author, Jeremie Davis describes a tragic death of an outstanding college student to emphasis how stress can lead to devastative results. Secondly, the article has credible data from National Alliance on Mental Illness to highlight different mental health problems that students face. Furthermore, the article also informs us about the schools with the highest stress rate and how it affects the students.
College can often mean interacting with a new environment, new people, new fears, challenges, and opportunities without the comfort of home or a steady support network. For many students, this transition into an entirely new stage of life can often incite general reactions to stress, anxiety, feelings of depression, and other various forms of mental illness. Many young students, aged 18-24, are negatively impacted by mental health issues, affecting their concentration, satisfaction, and emotional security as a result (Mahmoud et al. 149). This paper aims to research the potential negative implications, behaviors, and interactions of mental illness among college students, considering the strength of on-campus mental health support services as
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) writes about mental health in our population. The most common mental illnesses in college-age students are depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and eating disorders (APA, 2011). Of the four, depression is by far the most common. Depression can often lead to other mental disorders such as the ones listed above. When depression becomes very severe, people often start having suicidal thoughts and ideations. “Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people ages 15 to 24” (APA, 2011). A brochure from the APA goes on to explain the risks associated with depression and suicidal thoughts, “Over half of all kids with depression will eventually attempt to commit suicide at least once, and more