THE ISSUE OF MENTAL HEALTH IN COLLEGE

THE PROBLEM
Feelings of anxiety and depression

being in which every individual realizes his

are common among college students

or her own potential, can cope with the

due to the social, academic, and

normal stresses of life, can work

external pressures of attending a

productively and fruitfully, and is able to

school in which hundreds or even

make a contribution to her or his

thousands of students are trying to

community2, of first year college students

figure themselves out and prepare for

has plummeted to an all-time low.3

Feugiat:

the terrifying future ahead. In a 2014

study done by UCLA, over 153,000
first-time freshmen entering 227
four-year private and public
institutions of different types and
selectivity, were surveyed. Nearly 1
in every 10 students partaking in the
UCLA survey responded that they
frequently felt depressed.1 These
results demonstrate that mental
health, defined as a state of well-

BACKGROUND
Mental health is the basis of functionality

and friends, adds to the stress that can lead to

and poor mental health is a detrimental issue possible depression. Students experience
that can be extremely harmful to students

many firsts, including new lifestyle, friends,

and others around them if not taken

roommates, exposure to new cultures and

seriously. The cause of mental instability

alternate ways of thinking, said Hilary Silver,

stems from a variety of sources. Among

M.S.W., a licensed clinical social worker and

incoming college freshmen, the change in

mental health expert for Campus Calm.4

location, change of social atmosphere, and

being away
from family

BACKGROUND
The issue of mental instability during

depression and anxiety, says Harrison

freshman year of college is serious

Davis, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of

and often overlooked. When students

Counseling and Coordinator of the

cannot manage these firsts, they are

Community Counseling masters

more likely to struggle. If students

program at North Georgia College &

do not feel adequate or prepared to

State University.5

cope with the new environment of a

college campus, they could easily
become susceptible to

RECOMMENDATION

Universities need take progressive steps

Psychological Services, released its

towards allocating more funds towards

sixth annual report (5 February),

programs such as Counseling and

which describes more than 100,000

Psychological Services (CAPS) on

college students seeking mental health

campuses, to allow for more efficient and

treatment at 140 colleges and

available help to students who seek out

universities. Dennis Heitzmann,

programs such as these. CAPS is

director of Penn States Counseling

designed to enhance students' ability to

and Psychological Services, said,

fully benefit from the university

The data we have collected through

environment and academic experience. It

Counseling and Psychological

offers a variety of services such as crisis

Services has helped justify an

intervention, counseling, psychiatric

additional $300,000 funding for

services, consulting, outreach, and

expanded services to help meet the

workshops. The organizations website

needs of our students at the University

also has a variety of online self-help

Park campus.8 The only way to

resources such as online mental health

implement a system that effectively

screenings.7 The Center for Collegiate

helps students with mental health

Mental Health (CCMH), founded by and

issues is by allocating the necessary

housed at Penn States Counseling and

funds.

1
2

IMPLEMENTATION
On college campuses alone, there are over
1,000 suicides each year.4 Due to the
alarmingly increasing rate of depression
and suicide on college campuses across the
world, universities must implement a series
of steps in offering more attainable
resources on campus; a shift in attitude
needs to occur in order for students to feel
that everyone experiences anxiety to a
certain degree and by which students will
be encouraged to utilize these resources.
This includes both student-led resources
and university-implemented initiatives. The
first implementation should be through the
work of professionals at the institution. A
mandatory one-credit course should be
taken during a students first semester, This
course would be led by professors in the
field of Psychology who have a special
interest in students mental well being.

If students are taught the process for getting

help when they are well, they will know where
to go when a crisis happens.1. The course would
feature open-discussion among a group of 20 to
30 students and the professor would introduce
topics such as social media and its relation to
mental health and the importance of sleep and
nutrition. The more students are comfortable
discussing the issue, the more likely they are to
come for treatment. The professor would also
provide facts on how many students suffer from
either anxiety or depression and how it is
normal to feel sad occasionally. Depression
needs to be treated as a serious, yet curable
disease. This course is feasible to incorporate
into the education of students, and should be
looked upon as a priority and integral part of the
student life on campus.

IMPLEMENTATION
De-stigmatization of mental issues and

and support that college students suffer

anxiety needs to occur in order for

from depression. The problem exists

students to feel comfortable in seeking

despite some individuals not feeling the

help for issues relating to anxiety and

impact. Mental health is often overlooked

depression. Therefore, student groups on

by institutions and is not yet considered as

campus should be created, stemming from

important as physical health. While

the mental-health course with an

physical diseases are extremely

advisor to legitimize the group. These

detrimental, mental health is just as

student groups would host a monthly

important because mental instability can

discussion with anonymous questions for

lead to debilitating problems such as

students to discuss their issues and

anxiety and depression. Depression may

worries in a comfortable setting among

appear physically invisible to others eyes,

fellow peers. This is a necessary and

but suicide is the fourth leading cause of

effective way to encourage the

death for adults between the ages of 15 and

preservation of mental health because

64 years in the United States.9

student to student mentoring is the most

influential relationship. While some
students may not feel insecure during their
college careers, there is growing evidence
6

Conclusion
Overall, universities need to provide

Finally, awareness needs to be

more resources for college students to

raised in order for students to

seek when they feel anxious or

understand that others lives as they

depressed. A mandatory course needs to

are portrayed in social media do not

be implemented during a students first

depict the true experience of college

semester at college in order to guide a

Social media can inflate the growing

student through the major changes that

issue of anxiety and depression. It

occur during change. Furthermore,

needs to be known that applications

universities need to remove the stigma

such as Facebook, Instagram, and

associated with depression, anxiety, and

Twitter only show an individuals

stress in order for students to understand

best moments. As depression rates

they are not alone in feeling depressed,

increase among university students,

anxious, or stressed.

schools need to come together and

develop a platform to make students
feel safe, cared for, and important.

Endnotes
__________________________________
1

"Freshman Year of College: Danger Zone for Mental Health." Psychology Today. Web. 15
Apr. 2016.
2
"Mental Health: A State of Well-being." WHO. World Health Organization, Aug. 2014.
Web. 15
Apr. 2016.
3
O'Shaughnessy, Lynn. "College Freshmen's Mental Health Hits New Low."CBSNews. CBS
Interactive, 6 Feb. 2015. Web. 14 Apr. 2016.
4
"The Jed Foundation." - Depression and Anxiety Among College Students. Web. 13 Apr.
2016.
5
"Suicide Statistics." Emory Cares for You. Emory University, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2016.
6
"Depression and Anxiety Among College Students." Psych Central. Web. 17 Apr. 2016
7
"Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)." Student Affairs @ Penn State. N.p., n.d.
Web.
14 Apr. 2016.
8
"Annual Report Offers Snapshot of U.S. College Students' Mental Health, Needs | Penn
State University." Annual Report Offers Snapshot of U.S. College Students' Mental Health,
Needs | Penn State University. Web. 16 Apr. 2016.
9
"Home - Overnight Walk." American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Web. 16 Apr.
2016.