What you might experience and where to find help
College might be one of the most stressful times in a person’s life. It gets even more complicated if a student is dealing with an underlying mental health issue.
Indeed, discussion about mental health has spread throughout college campuses and the medical community. Even with a new social spotlight on many common health issues, misinformation remains high. Many college students who might be suffering from a mental health issue may not know that their symptoms fit the bill or what they can do to overcome their unique challenges.
In this guide, let’s go over some of the most common mental health issues you might experience on campus and what you can do to start treatment.
Mental health issues
Stress and anxiety
Both stress and anxiety permeate college campuses across America. Both of these common conditions are experienced throughout normal life events. But they often reach peaks or chronic states thanks to the varied demands of university life. On the one hand, this isn’t surprising; college is an incredibly busy time and many of the events that happen during those years determine the course for many people’s lives.
However, anxiety disorders have been rising since the 1950s, and things are likely to keep getting worse thanks to the proliferation of social media and related social stressors. College students may find that their stress and anxiety (either disorders or elevated levels in general) can have significant negative effects on their social lives, academic performance, and overall physical and mental health.
Symptoms can manifest either as mental agitation and other disorders like depression or overall moodiness. But they can also manifest as physical ailments like chest pains or nausea.
Resources you can use
- peer groups
- counseling centers
- online support groups
Drug abuse/alcoholism
College campuses are places where drug abuse and alcohol abuse run rampant. While partaking in certain types of alcoholic beverages and other types of recreational drugs are not necessarily bad, many college students lack the discipline or experience necessary to imbibe these substances responsibly.
The National Institute of Drug Above found that 70 percent of high school seniors have already tried alcohol by the time they hit college. In addition, many college cultures celebrate over-drinking or consuming drugs that can have serious negative consequences both physically and mentally. Recent legal and societal developments concerning marijuana have also made that drug more popular and accepted on college campuses, despite not having legal acceptance everywhere.
Drug abuse and alcoholism, if left unchecked, can result in poor academic performance and even neurological damage that directly influences your life in more ways than one. Additionally, drugs and alcohol make one more vulnerable to other types of accidents or injuries, like those incurred from automobile accidents or unprotected sex.
It can be difficult to avoid drugs and alcohol while on a college campus. Thus, students in danger of overindulging in either type of substance should seek immediate support and try to remove themselves from risky environments.
Resources you can use
- drug abuse and alcoholism support groups
- drug abuse online support groups
- assistance from a counselor
Depression
Depression is far from a rare condition, but it is often not openly talked about even with increased media attention. The National Institute of Mental Health has statistics indicating that over 10 percent of children are now diagnosed with some kind of depressive disorder before they turn 18. If you or someone you know is suffering from depression, they are not alone in the slightest.
Depression can be incredibly difficult to deal with alongside the myriad other stresses and worries of college life. Depression is typically characterized by low energy and mood rather than generic sadness, negative changes in eating and sleeping habits, panic attacks, and more. No individual depressive condition is the same as another.
But all variations of depression can make it difficult to socialize, perform well academically, and take care of oneself mentally and physically.
Resources you can use
- online support groups
- school-based counseling
- faith/family support
- exercise groups
ADHD
ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, affects about 10 percent of kids below the age of 17, meaning that college-aged individuals likely suffer from this disorder more than is commonly accepted. This disorder is characterized by an inability to focus on necessary tasks or ideas, which can be particularly hard to cope with in a college environment. It makes paying attention in class very difficult and can lead to tardiness, inability to finish work or turn work in on time, or inability to make decisions.
Furthermore, ADHD is often associated with or combined with other mental health disorders like depression or anxiety. Further compounding this issue is the public’s general dismissiveness of the disorder; those who suffer from ADHD may be turned away and just told to “sit still and focus.”
However, the fault is not with the individual but with the disorder. Tackling ADHD often involves counseling or medication, and requires strict discipline in several areas of one’s life. But it can be overcome, and those with ADHD can lead successful college and professional careers in spite of its effects.
Resources you can use
- ADHD-related skills workshops
- special accommodations or classes that take ADHD into account
- ADHD support groups
- ADHD organizations partnered with certain universities
OCD
OCD, or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, is more common than many people think, potentially affecting half a million American children. OCD is not just a habit or series of personal quirks. It’s a life-enveloping need or compulsion to perform rituals or activities throughout the day, often in unhealthy amounts and at inappropriate times. One of the most common OCD manifestations is a fixation on washing one’s hands, scrubbing them until the skin begins to peel and suffer under the constant soap and water.
Because OCD eventually overtakes most other aspects of the sufferer’s life, it can impose lasting negative consequences in both academic and social contexts. OCD can make it very difficult to focus on school and complete their homework, not to mention remain still in class for several hours on end. Those with OCD have difficulty forming peer groups and may appear awkward in conversation.
Parents, teachers, administrators, and fellow students should do all they can to support those who suffer from OCD in order to minimize its effects and maximize the chances of recovery. Recovery is most often pursued through therapy and counseling.
Resources you can use
- OCD support groups, both online and in-person
- individualized education programs, which help OCD students complete their work
- support from a counselor
Eating disorders
Unlike most other common mental health issues experienced on college campuses, eating disorders normally begin around age 18, and disproportionately affect women more than men, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health. Studies also show that binge eating disorder tends to begin a little later at age 21.
Regardless, all eating disorders can cripple the health of an individual and lead to several serious physical side effects, ranging from nausea to fatigue to headaches. Malnutrition can also lead to further physical complications like loss of muscle mass, loss of bone mass, and metabolic disorders. All of these conditions can make it difficult if not impossible for a college student to focus in the classroom and maintain a regular social life.
Even worse, eating disorders can have disproportionate effects on young adults whose brains may still be developing. These effects can turn into long-lasting consequences and lead to other disorders like anxiety or depression. Treating eating disorders can be most reliably accomplished through therapy and intensive support from one’s friends and family. It’s critical that you reach out to anyone suffering from an eating disorder.
Resources you can use
- nutrition counseling
- peer groups for eating disorders
- eating disorder prevention programs
PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder can occur to anyone who experienced traumatic events in their life. While it’s associated with war veterans, it can also affect teenagers and young adults who have experienced trauma, either recently or far in their past. It currently affects 7 percent of girls and 2 percent of boys, although this may be an under-diagnosis.
PTSD is a condition that develops as a defense mechanism or rewiring of the brain after a person experiences something that causes serious mental and/or physical trauma. These incidents can be things like serious accidents, assaults, domestic abuse, or even nonviolent crime if the fear for one’s life was intense enough. PTSD can also be caused secondhand through witnessing a terrible event rather than experiencing it oneself.
PTSD can be hard to deal with in college thanks to the other stresses that college students must typically face. It makes it difficult to focus in class and can lead to emotional breakdowns and physical symptoms when triggered through otherwise innocent statements or actions. PTSD must be overcome over time with understanding and patience on the part of the sufferer and with the help of a support group.
Resources you can use
- PTSD online and in-person support groups
- PTSD recovery groups
- therapy or counseling
Bipolar disorder
Formerly known as manic depressive disorder, bipolar disorder is characterized by dramatic shifts in one’s mood or energy levels. Bipolar individuals will usually have periods, like hours or days, in which they might seem overly happy or energetic, followed by other periods where they appear depressed or dangerously low-energy. Like with some other disorders, college students disproportionately represent a high number of sufferers as it normally develops around age 25.
Bipolar disorder can be very difficult to deal with during college, which requires a rigorous schedule and determination. Both of these can be hard to maintain as one’s mood and energy levels fluctuate wildly. Bipolar disorder is never the fault of the individual in question, but may be a result of genetic factors combining with other environmental or physical factors.
Dealing with bipolar disorder normally relies on medication and therapy used in conjunction with one another. Support groups of those who also suffer from bipolar disorder can also be helpful, as can the support from one’s friends and family even in difficult times.
Resources you can use
- online and in-person support groups
- medication from a doctor
- therapy and counseling
Sleeping issues
Many college students face general difficulty sleeping because of dorm culture. However, other college students have sleep disorders that are much more difficult to overcome than getting the partiers next door to quiet down.
In total, it’s likely that anywhere between 15 percent and 25 percent of college students are at risk of developing sleep disorders. These can be caused by any number of factors, including repeated environmental interruptions that produce difficulty informing sleep habits, medical issues that might be a result of medication interfering with normal brain hormones, or psychiatric disorders. Because of the difficulty in discerning the reason for a sleep disorder, treating it often takes a longer time than is helpful.
Sleep is incredibly important for both general health and for emotional stability. In fact, college students that have a sleep disorder are also at a greater risk for other disorders like depression. Not getting enough sleep can impact your college performance, sociability, and physical health; being tired all the time literally makes your immune system weaker.
Resources you can use
- Medication
- Therapy and counseling
- Dorm reassignments
Self-injury
Self-injury is a distinct mental health issue that is different than attempted suicide. It is normally not performed with the intention of ending one’s life but instead as a way to feel pain or emotional release. Self-injury is normally characterized by cutting, burning, pulling, or harming the body in non-permanent ways (in most cases). This disorder disproportionally affects females more than males and those who suffer from it often have difficulty receiving medical attention because of anticipated shame.
But self-injuring is a serious mental health issue that requires both acceptance and medical help. Most individuals who commit self-injuries don’t have the ability to process their psychological pain or may have difficulty regulating or expressing their emotions. Shame or doubt are not the correct responses when dealing with yourself for an individual who is suffering from self-injuries.
Self-injuries can make college a more difficult time than it already is by reducing the likelihood of forming normal peer groups, making it difficult to appear on time to class, and causing consistent thoughts of shame or emotional pain in addition to any physical symptoms that may be related to the injuries in question.
Resources you can use
- support groups both online and in-person
- medical treatment for injuries
- therapy to treat the cause
Schizophrenia
This is a rare disorder that affects about 1 percent of the population. However, college students may disproportionately represent this condition because schizophrenia normally develops around the early 20s or late teens. Men typically experience schizophrenia’s first symptoms earlier than women.
In brief, schizophrenia is a disorder of the brain that’s incurable and causes the individual suffering from the condition to experience delusions or hallucinations. These can also be, and often are, accompanied by cognitive issues, like experiencing difficulty with thinking or remembering things or difficulty in discerning reality from one’s imagination. Other symptoms include a lack of motivation and emotional outbursts.
Schizophrenia is never the fault of the sufferer and can be caused by genetics or brain trauma. It can make college a difficult experience because controlling the symptoms is usually done through a trial and error process involving medication and heavy counseling. Left unchecked, schizophrenia can make college impossible by interfering with one’s daily schedule, social groups, and long-term goals. It can also be quite dangerous to one’s physical or mental health if the hallucinations accompanying the disorder are violent or harmful to the self.
Resources you can use
- online or in-person support groups
- medication
- therapy and counseling
How to receive help for mental health issues
Any of the above mental health challenges can be incredibly difficult to deal with alone. But one thing that anyone suffering from a mental disorder or issue can pursue is counseling through a licensed social worker. These individuals are already present at your school in the form of school counselors, and they can provide you with the help you need to overcome your issue and succeed in college.
What social workers can do
Clinically trained social workers are licensed medical professionals who have both a master’s degree and a state-issued license to provide mental health assistance to their patients. They’re much more advanced and qualified than regular social workers, and they have the skills and expertise they need to improve others’ quality-of-life.
That’s because licensed social workers have a thorough knowledge of human behavior and development, along with a robust understanding of societal and cultural institutions that might impact mental health and well-being.
In most cases, counselors and clinical social workers of any type will meet with you or anyone suffering from a mental health issue and discuss it in a judgment-free appointment. They can listen to your experiences and help you understand your mental health issues so you can better overcome their individual difficulties. Sometimes, counselors work in private practices, or they may work at a location within your university’s facilities. They may also work at a medical center or clinic.
In addition to meeting with you personally, licensed social workers can help you develop therapeutic methods with which you can combat the negative effects of your mental issues. For instance, they can help you develop healthy habits (like refraining from using social media too much) or help you determine optimal habits that can boost your quality-of-life while waiting for other medication to kick in.
Furthermore, licensed social workers can provide benefits by facilitating family or couples therapy to assist with any number of mental health problems. They understand the role that relationships can play in mental health issues, especially for college students. In addition to this, social workers can host support groups and even facilitate interventions when necessary. The benefits that social workers can provide to anyone suffering from a mental health issue are always worthy of being pursued.
Medical help
In addition to the various services that counselors and other social workers can provide, it’s a good idea to seek out medical help for your mental issues if they can be treated through medication. For instance, individuals suffering from bipolar disorder can often benefit from medically prescribed treatment from a licensed doctor.
Your doctor can even work in conjunction with a licensed social worker or counselor in order to combine treatment programs for the best results. Even the most challenging mental health issues can be overcome in this way.
Other treatment options
Your medical professional or licensed counselor may also prescribe you additional treatments in order to better help you withstand your mental health issue’s symptoms.
For instance, they might help you develop healthy sleep habits; it’s all too common for all students, not just those suffering from mental health issues, to not get enough winks each night. Or they might help you come up with a diet plan that allows you to prepare and consume thoughtful meals to provide nutrition and variety.
Exercise is another big universal positive that can improve one’s well-being regardless of mental health issues. Exercise releases powerful endorphins and improves your physical health even if your mental health needs some work.
Other relaxing behaviors like meditation or peaceful hobbies can be further ways in which to recover from the symptoms of a mental illness. Crafting hobbies or creative outlets are also almost universally regarded as positive. You can speak to your counselor or doctor and determine which treatments will work best for your personality and individual mental health concerns.
Student mental health
Ultimately, the struggles that any individual faces while at college as a result of their mental health issues are things only they can fully understand. But seeking out help and understanding for a mental health issue is the first step to recovery and long-term success.