Why College Students Mental Health Need More Recognition

Going to college can be a challenging period for a lot of students. Along with managing the demands of academics, some students may also have to go through the difficulties of separating from their families and finding their own identity. Additionally, others may have to balance work and family obligations.

As per National Library of Medicine, disorders of mental health in college students typically begin during young adulthood, with 75% of individuals experiencing their first onset by the age of 25.

Common College Students Mental Health Problems	Age Group
Emotional Disorders	3.5% on average in 10 to 19 years
Behavioral Disorders	3% on average in 10 to 19 years
Eating Disorders	Very common among teenagers
Psychosis	Common in teenagers
Suicide and self-harm	Common in students nearing adulthood

Overcoming Mental Health in College Students

The author of this article has also an interesting story to share about how mental health effect college students. I have experienced tough mental health difficulties in college.

Those experiences affected my grades and emotions. It was challenging for me to deal with anxiety and self-doubt. I would always feel stressed and feeling alone.

Hence, I needed consistent assistance from my school’s counseling center and it was a pivotal moment for me. Counseling and friends helped me come out of anxiety and negativity.

I found passion in writing and journaling was like a lifesaver for me that guided me in the direction of healing. With time, I loved being a writer, and writing about mental health awareness was my favorite niche to write about.

Overall, I learned how important it is to express oneself and seek help when you are facing difficult mental health in your college life.

Top 5 Mental Health Issues Faced by Students with Symptoms

Mental Health Issues	Symptoms
Depression	Mood swings, sleep disturbances, appetite changes, and headaches
Anxiety	Feelings of worry, tension, and panic
Suicidal Intent	Feeling of burden to others, Mood swings, and withdrawing attitude from friends and family
Eating Disorders	Food deprivation or binge eating
Substance Misuse	Strong cravings and indulgence in substance misuse

College Students Are Prone to Mental Health Challenges, Why?

The more researchers dig into mental health problems, the more they find students suffering from it. According to the Healthy Mind’s study that collected data from 373 campuses worldwide, more than 60% of college students meet at least one mental health issue during their academic years. The effects of these common mental health issues among students will then stay with them for life.

The list of issues related to mental health in college students will be long but in this article we are discussing how mental health effect college students badly?

Loneliness As the Root Cause

College life is a stage where many students step up from their regular routine and leave their homes to live in the hostels for studies. There are plenty of challenges in college that students have to face but loneliness comes first place. Leaving your parents and living on your own comes with independence but loneliness slips beneath that independence and students realize it a little late.

In college hostels, there won’t be parents to take care of you, there won’t be siblings to have fun with, there won’t be privacy in their own room, and lastly no one to keep a check on your wellbeing. Keep on reading as we are about to explore more on how mental health effect college students.

At first, the independence from home will feel like a breath of fresh air but once the peace settles, you will be left with nothing but homesickness. Students fall into the pits of depression due to loneliness and because they have no one to share their minds and feelings and hence making it one of the common mental health issues among students.

Loneliness is also one of the reasons for college students mental health problems and it affects every student differently. The most effective victims of it are the students who were pampered and very loved at home. The ultimate consequences of loneliness are poor academic performance, social isolation, trust issues, and even suicidal thoughts.

Solution: Interactions with Others

The best way to beat loneliness is to increase interactions with your classmates And roommates at the dorm. Play a physical sport at college to have your schedule packed up and healthy. Reach out to your friends or student counselors to share your thoughts and feelings. Have a hobby that will keep you busy and give you peace.

Bullying and Mockry

Another potential reason behind college students mental health problems is bullying, insult, and mockery. In every institution, there will be a problematic individual that ruins every student’s peace of mind. Some bullies take the bullying to the extreme extent where it gets abusive and extremely damaging to students’ mental, emotional, and physical health.

The long-lasting bullying effects are rejection, isolation, low self-esteem, depression, and lack of sense of association and belonging. It can get worse when students commit suicide in order to get rid of those bullies lurking in the college corridors and dorm rooms.

Solution: Tips to Prevent Bullying

The very first option you have is to report the bullying to your parents, teachers, and college authorities. That’s one of the many ways of how to stop bullying in colleges these days. We all know how useless that is but trying won’t hurt, you might get lucky to get a potential response from reporting. Let’s talk about potential solutions: You need to first avoid the bullying hot spots where bullies gather and stay as far as you can.

Bullying happens when there is a clear power difference so if you can find a strong friend, you can knock out the bully in no time. The best solution is to build a student community that will help students to prevent bullying and address their problems.

Academic Stress and Pressure

The source of common mental health of college students issue might be the very reason they went to college, the studies. The tough schedules of classes, the pilling up of assignments, the pressure to do better, and the constant feeling of being evaluated.

Students are more likely to develop low self-esteem, and low confidence when they can’t meet the expectations of their teachers and parents. Other things affecting mental health in college students are anxiety, loneliness, depression, self-doubt, and self-hatred.

Solution: Tackling the Academic Pressure

Guess how brilliant senior students tackle stress? Well, simply by facing it. No tip is more realistic than being courageous enough to handle the coming academic pressure and embracing every challenge without giving up. You are meant to study in college.

The new schedules might be stressful but once you plan them on the way and properly give time to the classes and studying material, you will figure out the solutions properly. Write a journal, prioritize and plan, structure your schedule, get help from seniors and your classmates, and don’t doubt your capabilities.

That being said, you can also rely on professionals like college essay writing service and more for taking down some of your burden.

Poor Diet and Lack of Sleep

In college, students tend to be ignorant of their health and tend to skip meals which is adding to the mental health of college students. Many students prefer partying over peaceful sleep. Partying and having fun is fine if it’s done once in a while. Many students suffer from malnutrition and stress due to lack of sleep which will lead to different mental health problems like lack of concentration, anxiety, weakness, eating disorders, and addiction. Hence a big factor in college students mental health problems! In fact these are also the reasons why students suffer from sleeping disorder these days.

As a functional adult, you need proper sleep and a healthy diet to keep on going in your studies. Your brain needs rest and a regular supply of healthy nutrients to show efficiency and productivity in your academic performance. A very effective way of keeping mental health of college students in check.

Solution: How to be Mentally and Physically healthy?

By leading a healthy lifestyle. You are in college and you have independence but that doesn’t mean you should ruin your sleep schedule and eat all the junk food you want every day. Be a responsible adult and maintain a healthy diet. Add fruits to your food and enhance the intake of water. Sleep in and let your body and brain rest before starting a day. Create a healthy balance between your studies, co-curricular activities, and having fun with your friends.

Stigma and Discrimination

Another reason for college students mental health problems is the discrimination or disrespect they face due to their stigma. Discrimination in college might be based on the distinctive background, race, ethnicity, poverty, and stigma of something bad the student did in the past. In such scenarios, students might develop depression, social anxiety, low self-esteem, or even suicidal thoughts.

Solution: Educate and Spread Awareness

The best way to prevent discrimination is to spread awareness and educate students about human rights and differences between communities all around the world. Speak about your stigma and how it affects your mental health and what you learn from it. Share your feelings with counselors and your teachers regarding what you face in class. Don’t conceal your mental health and step up to talk about it. Perhaps, working on some mental health essay topics can also improve your knowledge of these issues. That’s how college students mental health issues can be resolved.

How We Can Help You?

Don’t worry if you are stressed with academic responsibilities or you believe to have struggling with mental health and need reliable assistance with your academic work. You can always reach out to professional essay writing service to get your work done on time and can also make use of other such services available online.

No More Common Mental Health Issues in Students

College Students mental health is one of the rapidly growing issues that grabbed the attention of many researchers. The reasons why students are so prone to mental issues are loneliness, bullying, academic stress, poor diet and lack of sleep, stigma, and discrimination. There are plenty of solutions for such challenges but the most important is to speak up if you think you have one of these common mental health issues among students and ask for help.