A recent article in the New York Times, College Students Strain Mental Health Centers, highlights the current rise in anxiety problems on college campuses.
Noting that anxiety now replaces depression as the top diagnosis for college students, the author cites the following possible reasons and offers examples of how colleges are responding.
Suggested pathways to anxiety include:
- growing pressure during high school: college students arrive “preloaded for stress”
- extreme parental oversight: college students have failed to develop resilience when faced with poor grades or other problems
- social media: excessive opportunities for comparisons with others regarding success and happiness (the author notes the rise of FOMO [fear of missing out]).
Colleges’ expanding efforts to help students include:
- daily workshops on anxiety, depression, and their triggers
- therapy groups
- testing apps that help treat anxiety via Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approaches
- semester-long weekly groups covering topics related to anxiety management (e.g., Building Social Confidence)
- bringing in dogs that students can hold and play with during especially stressful times such as finals (e.g., University of Central Florida’s “paws-a-tively-stress-free” event)
As noted in the New York Times article, research indicates that mental health is an important factor for college academic success. So for students and parents now investigating prospective colleges, add to your list what services are available for mental health support. Colleges thinking outside the box on how to address a range of stress and anxiety related problems, provide an invaluable resource for helping with-well being and academic success.
For more information on college mental health services see:
Thirty Colleges Receive Mental Health Seal of Approval: USA Today lists the recipients of the JED Foundation award for quality college mental health counseling.
How to Assess a College’s Mental Health Offerings: Gives information to help students and parents seek the best sources of information about a college’s mental health services.
Active Minds: National college student organization with the goal of educating about mental health issues and encouraging students to get help.