"Asking what mental health services universities need or why young people seem to have poor mental health is the wrong question. We need to ask why students are in distress."

 

Mental health problems can affect many areas of students’ lives, reducing their quality of life, academic achievement, physical health, and satisfaction with the college experience, and negatively impacting relationships with friends and family members. These issues can also have long-term consequences for students, affecting their future employment, earning potential, and overall health.

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Consequences for the Student

Mental health problems can affect a student's energy level, concentration, dependability, mental ability, and optimism, hindering performance. Research suggests that depression is associated with lower grade point averages, and that co-occurring depression and anxiety can increase this association. Depression has also been linked to dropping out of school.

Many college students report that mental health difficulties interfere with their studies. College students identified the following mental health issues as negatively impacting their academic performance :

• Stress (30% of students)

• Anxiety (22%)

• Sleep difficulties (20%)

• Depression (14%)

Alcohol and drug abuse at college has become a significant public health problem resulting in injuries, assaults, sexual abuse, and death. In addition, drinking and drug use often coincide with academic issues, unsafe sex, and drunk driving.

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Bullying

Bullying at any level is harmful. For children and young adults alike, bullying is a violation of the safety and dignity to which we are are all entitled, especially in shared spaces like school and work. As more and more young adults prepare to go to college, and as new forms of bullying  -particularly cyberbullying  - become more rampant and invasive, it is imperative that we work together as classmates and communities to confront, prevent, and diminish the impact of this student health issue.

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Consequences for Others

• Peers, family members, faculty, and staff may be personally affected out of concern for these students.

• Depression and anxiety can have harmful effects on relationships and work productivity.

• Suicide and suicidal thoughts can affect the larger campus community.

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Consequences for Campuses

• Campuses feel the burden when students with mental health difficulties do poorly on course work and drop out of school.

• Colleges and universities must be prepared to address the psychological impact of suicides on other students, as well as on teachers and staff.

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Signs to look for in the Students

• They are not enjoying activities they once loved

• They no longer attend classes or social outings

• They are experiencing extreme anger or sadness over a relationship in their life

• They react negatively or with apathy to most things

• They often talk about death or suicide

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