Staggering Statistics: The Mental Health Epidemic
The numbers are alarming. Recent studies indicate that 41% of college students experience symptoms of depression, while 36% experience symptoms of anxiety. According to a CDC report, one in four people aged 18 to 24 have seriously contemplated suicide, and many have turned to substances like alcohol to cope with their emotions.
Negative Outcomes: Why Investing in Mental Health Is Crucial
With the prevalence of mental health problems, it’s essential that colleges and universities proactively address these issues. Poor mental health hinders students’ academic success; untreated mental health issues may lead to lower GPAs, discontinuous enrollment, and too often, lapses in enrollment. Students with mental health problems are twice as likely to leave an institution without graduating.
Given the impact on student wellbeing and the institution’s academic and economic success, it’s no wonder that school administrators and student affairs leaders list student mental health as their top concern. With stigma around seeking help decreasing, more students are seeking appointments at counseling centers. In fact, 87.3% of counseling center directors reported increased demand for services. However, college mental health support systems are often struggling with long wait times and understaffing.
With increased demands for mental health support exceeding resources, how can colleges and universities provide students the help they need in distress or crisis?
How Colleges Can Fix It
The Healthy Minds Network provides four recommendations for colleges and universities seeking to prioritize mental health with limited resources:
1. Speak Out About Mental Health
Reduce stigmas and help students feel that it is normal to express mental health concerns and seek help. Spread awareness through campus campaigns, and ensure that your university has outlined welcoming processes to students seeking help. Whichever way they reach out– whether they speak to a professor or an RA, or visit your campus clinic– students should feel heard and supported.
2. Pursue Partnerships
Working with organizations, support groups, student leaders, and more can ensure a campus-wide, comprehensive approach to mental health care, promotion, and prevention.
3. Invest in Making Mental Health Services and Programs Accessible and Affordable
Mental health services need to be flexible and tailored to the needs of diverse students. Many college and university students have busy schedules and tight budgets, and certain populations need specific supports to make use of mental health services.
4. Listen and Respond to Student Needs
Listen to students on an individual and collective level. If you see overarching trends causing student fatigue, work to address these concerns on your campus.
Beyond Counseling: Addressing Campus Issues to Improve Mental Health
It’s essential to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to develop healthy social-emotional skills, coping mechanisms, and the resilience to thrive in adversity. Healthy habits, behaviors, and relationships benefit a student’s mental health.
As mental health researcher Dr. Marty Swanbrow Becker says in “The Mental Health Crisis on Campus and How Colleges Can Fix It,” the need goes beyond individual counseling to include population health and prevention, such as reducing things on campus that jeopardize student well-being, like discrimination and violence.
