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