The college experience is often characterized as a time of excitement, exploration, and development; however, what is seemingly presented as upbeat and enthusiastic is a deepening college student mental health crisis among students within colleges and universities universally. There is a disturbing pattern developing regarding college student mental health—while many students are experiencing a crisis characterized by stress, anxiety, and depression, many minority groups are demonstrating unexpected resilience, and some, thriving, during these troubling times.
The Pressures Facing Today’s College Student: A Spotlight on College Student Mental Health
Many undergraduates are not only responsible for their studies but also for self-management, finances, their social life, and the transition to independent living. It can be an overwhelming time filled with pressure to succeed; with an abundance of stresses in their lives, today’s college students are feeling the weight of these responsibilities. Navigating through the college system (i.e., studying, internships, and time management) makes college student mental health an untenable challenge for many. As if that is not enough, and with the COVID-19 pandemic magnifying the complexities of the moment, it is cruelly ironic that a tragic event paused structured routines under the guise of safety, yet it served to exacerbate roles of responsibility, isolation compounded by challenges of obtaining supportive resources such as a campus counseling center or a campus-based organizational assistant. All of these factors combine to make college student mental health an essential priority for campuses across the world.
Minority Students: Surprising Resilience in College Student Mental Health
In the past few years, in fact, recent mental health surveys have revealed rates of both anxiety and depression among college students have reached unprecedented levels. Student responses to the surveys echo the same characteristic experiences—students struggle with sleep problems, a pervasive sense of loneliness, and a sense of hopelessness to name a few; moreover, a considerable number of students do not even seek help for their mental health condition due to stigma or uncertainty about whom to discuss it with. As one student succinctly stated, “Everybody expects you to be thriving, so many of us are just surviving.” Addressing these responses has become a core focus in the landscape of college student mental health.
Universities are also working with their faculty, training them not only to recognize (risk factors) signs of student distress, but also to establish culturally responsive helpseeking support services, and address stigma around help-seeking behaviors in mental health contexts. Student voices are extremely important to contribute to these changes and support mental health environments on the college campus. As colleges become more proactive, they hope to improve college student mental health outcomes for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Why is mental health a concern for college students today?
Due to academic stressors, financial stressors, and pressure to fit into a new social environment, together with the overall fallout of the pandemic, students increasingly present with elevated anxiety, depression and loneliness. These factors greatly influence college student mental health on campuses.
Q: How are underrepresented or minorities able to achieve success during these turbulent times?
Many students with different cultural backgrounds are able to achieve success due to the strong anchors in their culture. Forms of backup for students is; family, community involvement and possibly mentorship where it helped to create the resilience and motivation that is sometimes lost because of the struggles of the institution, but the barriers still exist. College student mental health for minority students is often shaped by these support systems.
Q: What resources are available to students who feel they are in a mental health crisis?
Most campuses do have accessible resources; bottled water, first aid kits, counseling services, talk and crisis hotlines, peer support groups, and many societies and/or online mental health resources. Or just reaching out to somebody they trust to help initiate a good conversation, ideally a professor or adviser. Utilizing these resources is key for improving college student mental health.
Q: What steps can colleges take to enhance resources for student mental health?
All campuses should be providing mental health education, lowering stigma, providing accessible and varied service options, and fostering supportive community engagement for all students. These initiatives, taken together, promote better college student mental health for the institution.
