More College Students Struggling with Anxiety
As a college president, I always look forward to a new school
year. The energy and excitement of the first day of classes is exhilarating.
It’s thrilling to see bright young people, curious and eager, connect
with stimulating professors and dedicated staff members.
Yet the landscape of higher education is changing. While most students still
thrive at college, a rising number are struggling with serious mental health
problems. Counselors on college campuses report that levels of depression
and anxiety have never been higher. Ten percent of the nation’s 13 million
undergraduates have been diagnosed with depression, according to a poll conducted
by the American College Health Association.
Student demand for mental health services has soared; college counseling centers
have long waiting lists for appointments. Record numbers of freshmen are arriving
on campus with extensive medications and therapeutic needs. Others bring with
them eating disorders and histories of substance abuse.
What is causing this spike in psychological problems? Some of the factors
have always been evident. College life confronts students with life-changing
pressures that are especially acute their freshman year. Away from home for
the first time, they are suddenly expected to manage their own time, diet,
sleeping and study habits—and their own shifting moods. In addition,
they often encounter new ideas and social temptations that lead them to question
long-held assumptions or values. Understandably, some are overwhelmed by the
changes.
Other factors affecting the mental health of students are of more recent origin.
As the proportion of high school seniors choosing to attend college rises
each year, college students are also more representative of society at large—and
its problems. In addition, advances in diagnosis and treatment have enabled
many more students who suffer from mental disorders to attend college. “We're
seeing students who, 20 years ago, would not have shown up on a college campus,”
reports Harold Pruett, director of UCLA's Student Psychological Services.
“The current crop of medications—anti-depressants as well as anti-psychotics—are
better, with fewer side-effects.”
The fact that more college students today come from broken homes means that
family concerns are often added to academic stress and social distractions.
In addition, the ferocious competition to gain admission to top colleges leaves
some students stressed out even before they step on campus. Once enrolled,
many students pursue top grades with grim tenacity. Parental and societal
pressures to perform well and secure a prestigious post-graduate job add to
student anxieties. However much we encourage high-strung students to relax,
many of them can’t. They are already workaholics, obsessively focused
on preparing themselves for medical school, law school, or Wall Street.
The traumatic events of September 11 and the sputtering economy continue to
aggravate mental stress and strain. More then ever, it seems, students feel
caught in the clammy grip of an uncertain future, especially as they approach
their senior year.
What are colleges doing to respond to these tensions and disorders? Lots.
Many universities are increasing their counseling center staffs and ensuring
that everyone on campus is attentive to possible problems. Faculty and staff
members, as well as students who serve as residence hall advisors, are encouraged
to look for indications of student distress such as drastic mood changes,
a dip in academic performance, missed classes, evidence of substance abuse,
or traumatic changes in personal relationships. Some large universities, such
as the University of South Carolina, offer courses designed to teach freshmen
how to navigate a large campus and cope with the pressures of university life.
Many small colleges like Furman provide weeklong orientation programs before
classes begin to help first-year students become acclimated to campus life.
The programs feature peer counseling and help the new students establish a
support group before classes begin.
To be sure, learning to manage time demands, new academic and social demands,
homesickness, peer pressures, and interpersonal relationships is part of the
process of becoming an adult. Students need to learn to be independent. Yet
colleges (and parents) have painfully come to realize that setting students
free can cast some of them adrift. Students feeling overwhelmed or desperate
should seek help. There are numerous possibilities for support: counseling
centers, health centers, chaplains, residence life staff, student services
staff, academic advisors, coaches, professors—all are willing to listen
and help.
We live in a more complex, fast-paced, high-tech world with more information,
opportunities, and pressures than some students can process. As a consequence,
it is more important than ever for children to develop a strong ethical and
social foundation at home. At the same time, colleges must continue to provide
a more supportive environment that encourages students to make responsible
decisions and to seek assistance when needed. We cannot free students from
every stress and strain, but we can better nurture and support them. A mind
is a terrible thing to waste, especially a young one.
-- David Shi is a historian, writer and president
of Furman University