Student’s Mental Health Statistics Nowadays: Changes for Better or Worse

The majority of researchers and mental health experts tend to use terms such as “crisis” or “epidemic” when describing the mental health challenges that college students face in our modern world. Toward the end of 2021, researchers at the National College Health Assessment found that anxiety affects academic performance. Also, one in five students is reported to be suffering from depression. Other common mental health issues include mood disturbances, eating disorders, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation. In this article, we are going to share with you some of the common mental health issues together with the stats to see whether things are getting better or worse.

1. Depression

This is a type of mood disorder that involves feeling hopeless, sad and a loss of interest in activities that were enjoyable in the past. People who are suffering from depression may experience sleep disturbances, mood swings, headaches, changes in appetite, and body aches for no apparent issue. According to Health Minds Study, more than 40 percent of college students in the US suffered from depression. It is one of the most common mental health issues in the world. If you want to read more about depression, you should consider delegating your student assignments to a capable team. You can use this title generator for your essay to get the right title without wasting time. Don’t hesitate to read free examples and essays in college. 

Symptoms

There are lots of symptoms of depression. And they vary depending on the individual. How one individual shows symptoms of depression is not always similar to how another person will show. Some of the common symptoms of depression as reported by the American Psychological Association include:

• Changes in appetite
• Feeling hopeless and sad persistently
• Withdrawal and isolation
• Trouble paying attention
• Difficulty in understanding and completing various tasks in college

Keep in mind that exhibiting some of the symptoms that we’ve listed here doesn’t necessarily mean that you are depressed. However, if you experience them regularly when writing research paper essays, you should seek help as soon as possible.

2. Anxiety

We all experience anxiety from time to time. However, ongoing feelings of tension, worry and panic can affect how we live every day. A study conducted by Pennsylvania State University found that 61 percent of participants suffered from anxiety regularly. The common types of anxiety disorder include:

• Panic disorder: This is a condition that is characterized by frequent attacks of panic and terror. Individuals also feel fearful constantly.
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: People with this condition usually experience unreasonable fears, thoughts, and obsessions. And they lead to repetitive compulsions.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: As its name suggests, this is a condition that develops after an individual experiences a traumatizing event. Individuals can also suffer from this condition without experiencing such events.
• Generalized anxiety disorder: This is a condition where an individual experiences severe attacks such that they can’t focus on their daily activities.
• Social anxiety disorder: This is a condition that manifests as fear, embarrassment and anxiety in social interactions that happen regularly.

Symptoms

While they can be easily mistaken for worry or stress, symptoms of anxiety disorder have serious effects on your health and well-being. Some of the common ones include:

• Irritability
• Headaches
• Muscle tension and pain
• Excessive sweating
• Trouble focusing

3. Suicidal ideation

This is a thinking pattern where an individual plans their death using their hands. Most health professionals report that people who have detailed suicidal thoughts require urgent help. A study conducted by Harvard Medical School found that one in five college students in the US experiences suicidal thoughts.

Symptoms

College life is not easy. Most learners experience stress, doubt, and frustration. However, there are times when these feelings become so intense that they bring individuals to a place where they consider committing suicide. While suicide ideation symptoms differ from one individual to another, some of the common ones include:

• Mood – Suicidal ideation can manifest in a wide range of moods such as irritability, anxiety, rage, humiliation, and depression.
• Speech – Individuals usually talk about feeling like they are a burden to others, trapped, or have no reason to live.
• Behavior: Individuals who want to commit suicide usually exhibit certain behaviors such as withdrawing from their loved ones, searching for information online about ending their lives, giving away their most important possessions, and telling people goodbye. They also tend to act aggressively and behave recklessly.

If you notice that your friend, classmate, or relative is showing any of the behaviors that we’ve listed here, you need to talk to them as early as you can. Since they are in a fragile state, you should approach them with kindness and patience. Encourage them to seek professional help.

4. Eating disorders

There is a wide range of conditions under eating disorders. They can either involve binge eating or food deprivation. Studies show that 15 percent of female college students and 5 percent of male college students in the USA have tested positive for eating disorders. There are several types of eating disorders. They include:

• Bulimia Nervosa: This involves frequent and recurrent episodes of consuming large amounts of food then followed by compensatory behavior such as fasting, over-exercising, or purging.
• Binge eating disorder: This is a disorder that involves constant cravings and overeating. It is usually linked to low self-esteem and poor body image.
• Anorexia Nervosa: This is a disorder that involves unrealistic fixation on weight loss and fear of gaining weight. It usually leads to emaciation and even death.

Caring for your mental health

Here are a few simple tips that you can use to address most of the issues that we’ve discussed and promote your health and well-being:

1. Come up with a self-care routine

It can be difficult to find time for self-care when you are supposed to attend every class, submit assignments on time, and prepare for upcoming tests. However, having a self-care routine is one of the best ways to promote your mental health.

2. Stay organized

One of the easiest ways to feel in control of your environment and circumstances is by staying organized. Eliminate clutter in your environment and come up with a study schedule that will help you keep track of important projects. By reading essays examples for a college student and teacher comments for students’ writing, you’ll always have ample time for yourself.

3. Know when to seek help

There will be times when self-care won’t be enough. When you start feeling overwhelmed despite using the solutions that we’ve shared here, you should consider seeking professional help. Communicating with a professional, reading student contract for grades and learning more about grading college papers will help you understand yourself better and achieve your academic goals.

Conclusion

These are the common mental health issues that affect most college students not only in the US but also around the world. The more individuals can access information on mental health, the easier it will be to deal with these conditions. Speaking to a friend, tutor, parent or professional can go a long way in promoting your health and well-being.