Emotional Well-being: College Student Mental Health

Posted on by

Improving the lives and futures of young adults by strengthening connections and building resilience.

Mental health continues to be a major concern on college campuses around the world, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.

The research reveals that the prevalence of depression and anxiety in young people continues to increase, now reaching its highest levels, a sign of the mounting stress factors due to the convergence of the coronavirus pandemic, political unrest, and systemic racism and inequality. 

Additionally, researchers from the World Health Organization found that a staggering 35 percent of first year college freshmen struggled with a mental illness. The most common mental illness observed was major depressive disorder, with 21.2 percent of respondents experiencing lifelong symptoms, followed by general anxiety disorder, which affects 18.6 percent of students.

When it comes to suicide in particular, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry points to data showing that by 2018, suicide was the second-leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 24.

And, since 2014, anxiety and depression have been college students’ leading mental health issues, according to research conducted by Boston University.

According to the most recent Healthy Minds Study, which surveys tens of thousands of college and university students across the U.S., 41% of all students screened positive for depression over the spring semester, and 34% screened positive for anxiety. They are the highest levels observed by the study. However, this year’s results are part of a steadily increasing trend, and students surveyed said that while the pandemic impacted their mental health, it wasn’t the root cause.

Help is on its way

RADical Hope is a nonprofit committed to improving the lives and futures of young adults by strengthening connections and building resilience. The RADical Hope movement is two-fold: educate all constituents of the college community the warning signs and implore them to take action. And, help to identify students who need help but are not able to ask for it.

RADical Hope wellness program, RADical Health, attempts to empower and equip college students with tools to stay well and stay resilient dealing with the day-to-day challenges of life on college campuses. Their strategy is to utilize proven effective techniques and procedures to counter the accelerating rise in college student anxiety and depression.

RADical Hope is currently partnering with ten colleges and universities to develop, identify and partner with frontline engagement programs that deliver three priorities: Connectivity, Engagement, Empowerment.

And, reaching college-age kids is vital. “64% of kids who drop out of college do so because of mental illness,” says Ken Langone, Co-Founder of Home Depot, who adds, “Our purpose [for RADical Hope] is to identify the kids who aren’t reaching out for help and assure them there is a better future.”

References:

  1. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/04/4-ways-to-be-proactive-about-your-mental-health-in-college.html
  2. https://www.bu.edu/articles/2021/depression-anxiety-loneliness-are-peaking-in-college-students/
  3. https://radicalhopefoundation.org
  4. https://www.wuft.org/news/2021/09/22/mental-health-challenges-abound-among-college-students/
  5. https://healthymindsnetwork.org/hms/

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline contact is 1-800-273-8255 (en español: 1-888-628-9454; deaf and hard of hearing: 1-800-799-4889) or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

Advertisements