Mental Health Issues Affecting College Students

I remember my first year here at Michigan State; I was walking to my dorm and stopped in my tracks when I saw 1,100 backpacks laying on the ground. Each bag told a personal story of a student and represented the number of deaths associated with college suicides per year. I looked at the pictures of former students with smiles so big; at that point it became extremely hard to grasp the fact that they did not seek help or tell anyone about their issues. This had a major affect on me because I felt a mutual connection as a college student who also faces many struggles each day on campus.

With the weight of college adding pressure on students, mental health is becoming a bigger issue. Mental health issues affecting college students consist of suicide, depression, stress and anxiety, self injury, bipolar disorder, psychotic tendencies, disorders, schizophrenia, ADHD, and trouble with sleeping. According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, the suicide rate in the United States increased from 10.43 per 100,000 students to 13.02 between the years 2000 and 2013.

In today’s society stress, expectations, and social media are contributing to even more stress on students. I am a first year generation student and I often feel overwhelmed with the pressure to succeed. College can be a very challenging time as we all have to adapt to a new environment, meet different people, take on hard classes, balance a social life, and work study. Dealing with many obstacles can give you mixed emotions as well. Some people with depression may not feel sadness at all, but be more irritable or lose interest in things they usually enjoy. “In 2004 the Mental Health Task Force on Graduate Student Mental Health at the University of California Berkley surv...

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...lure. I believe that college can break you down in many ways and not all people can carry the same weight. I am still trying to cope and I have managed to meet with a therapist to walk me through what feels like the jungle in the night.

“It is neither an exaggeration nor is it alarmist to claim that there is a mental health crisis today facing America’s college students. Evidence suggests that this group has greater levels of stress and psychopathology than any time in the nation’s history. (“The college student mental health crisis” 2014).” Besides the complications that come along with mental illnesses , I have an understanding of the global vision. Present-day college students of different backgrounds along with myself are battling with a serious mental health crisis. I encourage students to not hold this in, but seek help and guidance through these tough times.