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Essay on college mental health
The effects of mental health on college students
Essay on college mental health
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Literature Review “Introduction to the Special Issues on College Student Mental Health” Mental health awareness for college students has become a captivating and significantly popular subject for researchers in the last decade. After a series of detrimental school shootings from mentally and emotionally unstable students of the academies, fellow students of other universities began to worry about the mental state of their peers. Researchers studied to discover a trend in the relationships between college students and their psychosocial lives. Linda G. Castillo (affiliate of Texas A&M University) and Seth J. Schwarts (University of Miami) wrote the article. In April 2013, “Introduction to the Special Issue on College Student Mental Health” was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology. In the article “Introduction to the Special Issue on College Student Mental Health”, an informational overview of the organization Multi-Site University Study of Identity and Culture (MUSIC) collected data from thirty universities to study the psychosocial, relational, cultural, and health related constructs among college students. The article provides the student perspectives and concerns about the mental health of their peers and the services that campuses provide. In 2010, when the American College Health Association administered the National College Health Assessment surveyed to over thirty thousand students across thirty-nine campuses the surveys showed an exponential increase in psychological problems (2013). This survey collaborated with the studies of college students suggests that college students, prominently female and minority, are in fact experiencing depression and mental health issue that may not be diagnosed or attended to. T... ... middle of paper ... ... Although this study does not serve in any way to expose those used in the research study process, students could react differently to those who are open with sharing their personal experience with the topic. Works Cited Ambrose, A., Bohnert, A., Davis, D., Jones, D., Magee, M., Wilson, K., (2014). Social, Behavioral, and Sleep Characteristics Associated with Depression Symptoms Among Undergraduate Students at a Women’s College: A Cross-Sectional Depression Survey, 2012. BMC Women’s Health, Vol. 14 Issue 1, (1-14). Castillo, L. G., & Schwartz, S. J. (2013). Introduction to the Special Issue on College Student Mental Health. Journal Of Clinical Psychology, 69(4), 291-297. doi:10.1002/jclp.21972 Schaeffer, M. (2011). College Student Suicides. Retrieved March 16, 2014, from Association of Governing Boards: http://agb.org/bpnews/2011/winter/college-student-suicides
Stress Induced Suicide Julie Scelfo’s “Suicide on Campus and the Pressure of Perfection” first appeared in The New York Times magazine on July 27, 2015. Scelfo discusses the pressure that family, society, and the individual places on themselves to be perfect. This stress ultimately results in college- age students taking their own lives. “Nationally, the suicide rate among 15- to 24-year-olds has increased modestly but steadily since 2007: from 9.6 deaths per 100,000 to 11.1 in 2013.” Scelfo uses an anecdote, statistics, and expert’s observations to successfully portray her stance on this issue.
There have been many instances of suicide that have occurred in the past years at universities across the country, and since it is such a sensitive subject, there have not been nearly enough coverage as this topic deserves, considering this issue does not seem to be going away. When collecting data about suicide statistics, the age range is broken down as people ages 15-24, which spans most developmental years. Within this bracket are college-age students and this age-group has by far the most troubling statistics around it.
According to a new study from Harvard University, only fifty-six percent of students graduate within six years. The drop out rates in college has increased immensely through the years. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development tracks eighteen countries on how many students complete four years of college, America’s percentage is only at forty six percent. Making America the worst country among all eighteen countries. Some students may drop out from the stress becoming too much for them. Some may drop out due to beginning a family or the cost of the degree became too much for them to pay (Waldron). While college is supposed to be more fun than a barrel of monkeys, for some, college is the end of their lives. Many students get so stressed they don’t see it ending anytime soon. Choosing to take their own life is the only way students see the pain and stress ending. The stress they feel can be from a professor, parent or even a friend. One out of every ten American students in college has a plan for suicide. Some may go farther than just planning; today college campus suicide rates are about 1,000 people per year. Even though many college campuses in America have mental health facilities, many students don’t ask for support with their anxiety, depression or stress. Suicide is the second most common killer of university students, vehicle accidents being the first. The amount of pressure that these students face can be the base of psychological
The survey found gender and parents' education level did not seem to provoke suicidal tendencies, but other demographic factors. These other such factors included age, class standing, race/ethnicity, living arrangement, and fraternity/sorority membership. The questionnaire indicated that freshmen and sophomores were more likely to consider suicide than upper-classmen; students of ethnic/racial backgrounds other than White, Black or Hispanic were more likely to have considered suicide; students who lived alone, with friends/roommates, or parents/guardians were more likely than those who lived with a partner or spouse; students who were members of a fraternity/sorority were less likely to have considered suicide. The components of tobacco, alcohol, and illegal substance use were then configured into the results.
In order to function normally, “adequate sleep is a biological necessity” (Austin 34). College is a transition for many students, and without prioritizing many can become sleep deprived. There are various reasons that college students could become deprived of sleep. Reasons include loud roommates, sororities/fraternities, late night jobs, and procrastination. Additionally, a student could be struggling financially or academically, and this could be possible causes for keeping one up late at night. Little to no sleep could affect how young adults function leading to multiple effects. Depression can be a result of not getting enough rest, and the “longer this
Most colleges are unable to calculate the true statistics for suicide on their campuses. However, increasing awareness of the issue and focusing on treatment and campus outreach programs can help fix this. College for most people is the only time where one setting encompasses all aspects of a person’s life, including social activities, career related or academic activities, health services, etc. and this offers a unique opportunity to address the issue of suicide. There are several ways in which colleges can help address the issue. One way colleges can make a difference is by restricting access to the means of committing suicide, although absolute control of this is not possible. So for example, colleges could ban personal firearms or guns
It should be treated as a serious problem. College and parents have equal responsibility to save our younger generation. All colleges should improve on their methods of handling mental health issues, such as increasing mental health care awareness among students and creating counselling sessions that are easily assessed to students. Parents should only support and motivate their children instead of being over involved in their children’s life. More can be done and must be done to prevent this mass phenomenon from happening, let’s join hand and make a difference by putting back the smiles that have been lost on the faces of the
Voelker, Rebecca. 2004. "Stress, sleep loss and substance abuse create potent recipe for college depression." JAMA 294 (18): 2177-2181.
The Web. 25 Apr. 2014. The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'. http://larry50.wordpress.com/> http://larry50.wordpress.com/ Nock, Matthew K. "About Teen Suicide."
As it has been proven, students and depression across campuses are becoming more common daily, and it must be taken as a serious matter. There are many causes that result in depression, such as personal stress and academic stress. This severely influences a student’s life and can bring about extreme negative outcomes like suicide or eating disorders. Luckily, there are cures for this major issue. Counseling centers and mentors in the classroom and in residence halls can impact a student’s overall well-being and attitude towards his or her daily life. Depression, in conclusion, is an extremely dangerous mental illness that, if not cured with the correct treatments, could become detrimental to students across the globe.
Dokoupil, Tony. A. The "Suicide Epidemic" Newsweek Global 161.19 (2013): 1 Business Source Premier. EBSCO. Web.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds, and the sixth leading cause for 5 to 14 year olds. Suicide accounts for twelve percent of the mortality in the adolescent and young adult group. Young males are more common than young woman suicides. These are only children who followed through with the suicide. For every successful suicide there are fifty to one hundred adolescent suicide attempts. In other words, more than five percent of all teenagers tried to commit suicide, and the number is still rising. It is scary to think that four percent of high school students have made a suicide attempt within the previous twelve months. In a small safe town like Avon, in the Avon High School where you and I practically live, you can see the faces of 22 students that have tried to commit suicide. That is enough to fill a classroom.
One question involved students’ knowledge of the availability of campus and community resources, and 53% of the students responded that they were aware of the resources on campus and about the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Cerel, Bolin, and Moore 49). Another question asked students to analyze attitudes toward suicide prevention; with two categories being measured: (1) suicide is preventable and (2) preventing suicide is something everyone should play a role in. Out of all the participants, 85% agreed that suicide is preventable, and 93.3% agreed that preventing suicide is something everyone should play a role in (Cerel, Bolin, and Moore 50). Overall, the study revealed that college students are likely to be exposed to suicide or suicide attempts. If these college students would have received any suicide intervention in their youth from their K-12 teachers or community, would it have made a difference in their education about suicide, and more importantly, would it have prevented
The first and outmost question that comes in my mind is why do college students commit suicide? Why would the quiet, shy chemistry major student sitting next to you in the library jump from his 14th floor dorm? Why would a talented athlete on the basketball team use a gun to kill herself? The causes for committing suicide can range from depression, family and relationship problems, expectations, pressure to succeed and
New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004. Print. The. Suicide and Suicidal Behaviors. Suicide : Medline Plus.