Depression And Anxiety In College Students
College was an exciting and memorable place in a young person’s life. But now, college life has become one of the most stressful parts of life. The positive experience of communication, learning, and independence contrasts with academic and social pressures, coupled with the challenges of being away from home.
That’s why depression level within the college has been rising in students and why their matters have become increasingly in a claim in recent years. With COVID-related burdens, nervousness and stress levels in academies have risen dramatically. Continue to read and find the reasons for this anxiety!
Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression:
The figures show that about 44% of college students show symptoms of anxiety and depression. These may include:
- Difficulty in handling homework
- Interest loss in activities like sports, community obligations, and clubs
- Changes in eating or sleeping habits
- Emotional outbursts (crying or anger)
- Feeling frustrated
- Fear
- Wrong self-examination
- Lack of energy
- Breakup in Relationship
- Peer-to-peer relationship problems
- Drug or alcohol use
- Family history of depression
- Stressful health events
- Comparing the academic, sporting, or social performance of one’s peers
- Fear of parents is frustrating because of grades or career choices
- Suicide warning signs
Causes of Depression among students
The following are the major reasons for the anxiety in students:
● Social Pressure:
But why are our older people struggling so hard? A few things are increased social pressure to achieve success and not being equipped with the necessary life skills.
Writing for The New York Times, Julie Scelfo explained that young adults are increasingly confronted with the “American culture of failure” and “the pressure to be flawless without struggle.” Consequently, both their physical and mental health suffers.
These students reach on their first day of classes and are increasingly unprepared to work as adults. Rising education costs have put pressure on students or their families that young people are forced to limit their early school years by parents who focus on the potential success of their children in the future.
● Statistics about College Students:
Some statistics about college students and their mental health are:
- Suicide is the third leading cause of death for students
- Of those diagnosed having a mental illness, 75% have the first episode in 24 hours.
- 30% of students reported feeling depressed in the past year.
- Half of the students reported being very anxious last year.
- About two-thirds of the students who experienced substance abuse problems were also diagnosed with mental issues like depression and nervousness.
● Suicidal Thoughts
Young people with a mental illness, including depression, are five times extra likely to attempt suicide than those adults. Four out of five college students contemplating or attempting suicide have shown clear warning signs before the attempt. For example: Ignore classwork or skip classes, withdraw from friends and want to be left alone, give away goods, and talk about suicide.
Moreover, the students were found doing dangerous or harmful things, such as drug abuse or reckless driving, increased use of alcohol or drugs, farewelling to people as if they would never see them again.
How to reduce stress and anxiety in college?
- Meditation, which includes meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises
- Establish day-to-day procedures and organizational programs to stay focused and on track
- Reduce exposure to news and media
- Good redesign — looking at the situation in a more positive way
- Take a break from work to do relaxing activities, like reading or drawing
- Involvement in good communication interactions
- Students can take help from paper help to get professional assistance in their studies
- Playing with pets
- College students’ exercise; sedentary habits are directly linked to high-stress levels.
- Outdoors and interaction with nature
- Getting enough sleep for at least 7 to 9 hours is necessary
- Focus on good food
- Free counseling, on-campus, or by telehealth
- Listening to music – a Jed Foundation survey found about three-quarters of college students use this tool to support their emotional health.
- We are communicating with family and friends, either directly or indirectly.
In addition, young adults need to see that “it is not right to be wrong.” When young people act with empathy and acceptance rather than ignore or judge their difficult feelings, they build resilience that will support them now and in the future.
Conclusion
Mental health problems affect more people across the country. These challenges are not new and have been around for a long time. However, awareness of these issues has increased in recent years.
In short, if a student is failing college due to depression or struggling with their daily routine at school, they need more support than campus counseling resources can usually provide. In these cases, outpatient or accommodation programs may be required to deal with the depressive effects of college students.
