Editorial: Helping college students with anxiety and depression

By Kara Ellis

According to an online survey administered to nearly 33,000 college students from across the United States, through the Healthy Living Mindset Network, the increase in anxiety and depression reported is reaching new levels.  Half of the students screened positive for depression, 83% reported that their mental health had negatively impacted their academic performance within the last month while another two-thirds reported struggling with loneliness and feelings of isolation.

What’s driving these numbers? Let’s start with the pandemic and the social distancing measures put in place to try and control it. College students are faced with closed classrooms, in-formal lectures, canceled clubs, meetings, study halls and much more. The organism that is a college campus is a bustling and thriving one. For many it is viewed as the start of adulthood, a time to begin laying the foundation upon which their futures will stand.  Roy Baumeister is a social psychologist who’s 1995 theory, The Need To Belong, states that humans have a natural need to belong with others. In the simplest of terms, we are born to make connections. Furthermore, Baumeister’s theory states that individuals who experience a lack of belonging could have long term, negative impacts on mood and health and those who do not meet those needs may suffer from behavioral and psychological issues. Given this knowledge it is clear the effect social distancing has had on students' mental health and desire to thrive.

Another area of concern for a student's mental health could be the debt acquired while attending college. Research indicates a correlation between suicidality and financial well-being. The higher our debt the higher our levels of anxiety and depression. Social media and societal values are two more contributing factors to the increase in mental health struggles faced by college students. With juggling class schedules, work schedules, the pandemic, financial obligations, and the expectations set for college students to do their best and to be their best, it can come as no surprise how debilitating that all can be.

How do we address this in our local college? We must first foster wellness amongst ourselves to better help prevent a mental health crisis. Faculty members can work towards re enforcing that they care about the individual and not just the student.  Taking into consideration the challenges facing their students such as the pandemic and its many guidelines. Supplying their students with campus and local resources for mental health. Taking time to acknowledge their own anxieties and the necessary steps to address them.  We must also consider perceived vs personal stigma. The survey of college students showed that 94% said they would not judge someone for seeking help, while paradoxically perceiving others will think poorly of them if they do. It is important to note that your peers are not judging you. The continued advocacy for awareness of mental health has helped to reduce the stigma surrounding it.  Reduced stigma helps to ensure safety and acceptance in asking for help. We must first take care of ourselves and that will in turn better equip us to help others.

Finally, what can you do? Be proactive in your mental health. Some will find that accepting their anxiety as a permanent fixture allows them to take control of it. When we actively and consciously engage with it we can harness it for growth instead of letting it hinder us. Being aware of the factors in our lives that increase our stress levels and making the changes needed can greatly improve our focus and drive. Along with perseverance, education is vital to success. We can seek out resources and information that will benefit us as individuals. Taking a free course through non-profits like NAMI can help to expand one's understanding of mental health and the role it plays in not only our academic lives but our personal ones as well. We generally take steps to ensure our physical health when it is threatened. It is acceptable to seek help for our heart's health and should be equally as acceptable to seek help for our mental health.