Anxiety is the new epidemic for College Students
Jennifer Kephart • September 5, 2019
More than half of the students visiting campus health clinics listed anxiety as a concern.
My family and I live in a robust, busy, fun college town. And by far….fall is the best time of year here! All the college kids return from spending summer with their families and this town comes to life. Sure the traffic gets worse, but the excitement of tail-gaiting and fight songs, cooler weather, and seeing kids cramming in every coffee shop in town is fun.
College can be very exciting, but students often experience stress, anxiety and sadness as well. My husband and I went on a popular hiking trail this weekend, and came upon tons of college kids, who were either new friends who had just met, or old friends who were catching up and becoming reacquainted. We had our friendly German Shepard, Lincoln, along. Lincoln got more hugs and pets from college kids, than smaller kids. These heavy petters talked about being away from their family dog for the first time, some saying they had just had to say goodbye until their first trip home for Thanksgiving. That struck me, I would really struggle with leaving Lincoln for that amount of time.
When you start as a freshmen, not only are you away from family for the first time, you're also leaving your dog, your friends, and all that is stable in your life. You’re probably also concerned about finances. You can’t work a ton because of your busy schedule yet the expenses associated with college add up. You don’t want to continually rely on your parents, or maybe that's not even an option. Credit card companies are beating down your door, tempting you to sign up, though you know that is a slippery slope.
You may also be worried about your load of classes, or if college is going to be more challenging than high school. Maybe you're concerned your test anxiety is going to kick in. Or, you may be a Sophomore or Junior, and it might be time to pick a major, which feels like a forever decision wrought with pressure, and you fear choosing a field that you end up hating, and worry all of the money spent and hard work you endured, will be for nothing.
You may be like me, starting college all those years ago, in a long distance romantic relationship. Having to deal with the confusing feelings of wanting to start a new chapter of your life, but feeling a large portion of your heart is back home, or miles away, in a different state. These issues are big and hard, and weigh on students more than we realize.
A study conducted in 2015, The NCHAS (National College Health Assessment Survey) indicated more than half of the students visiting campus health clinics listed anxiety as a concern. They also stated nearly 1 in 6 (15.8%) college students had been diagnosed with, or treated for anxiety. Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and often include feelings of tension and worried thoughts. In fact, small doses of anxiety can actually motivate us to accomplish assignments, to study harder for tests, and can warn us when we’re in dangerous situations. But if the anxiety grows into panic attacks and prevents us from being able to complete daily tasks, and is left untreated, it can grow into a full-blown anxiety disorder.
Depression is a concern as well. In a survey conducted by the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors in 2013, 36.4% of college students reported they experienced some level of depression. According to the study, depression is the number one reason students drop out of school, and is a gateway issue that could lead to unhealthy coping strategies, or even suicide.
It’s normal to feel stressed or blue on occasion, especially in this season of life. But if your symptoms have lingered, or have become so severe that they are hampering your daily life, or if you start to feel hopelessness kick in, it’s time to seek professional help.
Professional Counselors and Therapists can guide you in learning the skills to manage your emotions in a healthy way. We can help you identify your current response systems and implement more effective ways of coping. Research indicates the best response to treatment includes lifestyle changes, therapy, and medication when indicated.
Let our team of professionals help you today!
a 14,000 ft. mountain to climb ahead of us, and not one of us seemed a bit worried about that. This is the story of when we hiked Quandary Peak. Follow our journey from the bottom to the top and back down to see how we handled the struggle of hiking to altitudes higher than 14,000 ft.