Posts published on February 8, 2018
6 Mental Health Challenges Facing College Students
BY PAMELACURRIER
Did you know that one in every five college students faces a mental health issue, and that 75 percent of all mental health conditions come to the surface by the time a person reaches 24 years of age? These are pretty high, and scary statistics. There are many mental health challenges that a large percentage of college students must recognize and deal with, as most people who suffer from any form of mental illness will struggle with symptoms before they graduate from college. Today we are going to discuss six of the most common mental health challenges facing college students.
- Addiction
One of the biggest problems facing a lot of college students is addiction, and there are many forms that this problem can take. Substance abuse is common among many college students, with alcohol being one of the biggest problems. Drug and alcohol abuse in colleges around the United States is becoming a serious health issue, and it can have a huge impact on every aspect of a student’s life. In fact, studies show that one in four students have problems with their studies due to alcohol use.
- Adjustment Disorder
Many first-year college students find it difficult to adjust to being away from home for the first time. There are so many things that they have to adjust to, and for some, it can be quite overwhelming. Some reports show that as many as 20 percent of college students receiving treatment for mental health issues are diagnosed as having adjustment disorder, and there are many things that can be stressors, including moving to a new town, meeting new people, breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, etc.
- Eating Disorders
A lot of people think that this is an issue that mainly affects females, but it is actually common in both males and females. We just tend to hear more about girls who suffer from eating disorders. As many as 20 percent of all college students are affected by the most common eating disorders, Anorexia and Bulimia, and the results can be deadly, as eating disorders do have the highest mortality rate among those suffering from mental illness. The sooner this condition is diagnosed, the sooner treatment can begin. David Michigan, worldwide model and actor, who gives fitness & life coaching sessions, suggests: “Self-hypnosis can be one of the best possible solution to treat eating disorders, inasmuch as it can allow to fix the hidden emotional issues directly leading to anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, emotional eating and all other kinds of eating disorders.”
- Depression
Another common mental health condition among college students is depression. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health states that depression is a serious issue for college students, and that 30 percent of students have reported feeling depressed. This is due to a number of factors, including the higher stress levels, adjusting to their new surroundings, struggling to get good grades, etc. Statistics show that depression is the third leading cause of death among those aged 10 to 24. Diagnosis and treatment as early as possible is important.
- Anxiety
We all get anxious from time to time, but those who experience anxiety regularly can attest that it is a serious issue, and that it can have a huge impact on their lives. At least 30 percent of all adults are affected by anxiety in one way or another, many to the point where it interferes with their daily lives. Anxiety is also one of the top concerns for college students, ahead of depression and relationship issues. It is reported that more than half of all college students seek help in dealing with their anxiety.
- Suicide
Some students fall so deeply into depression, or face such serious anxiety that they end up taking their own lives. In a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, it was noted that suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in 2011, with a total of 39,418 suicides reported in the United States. It is also reported to be the second leading cause of death among college students, as per studies from the American College Health Association.
Pamela Currier helps recent grads land the jobs of their dreams, she is a career coach and educator.
Online Courses: earn a degree and expand knowledge
DAVID GUTIERREZ
Studying at a college is a great time to make friendships that last for a lifetime, to take a break from comfortable living with parents and what was usual and known and start calling university campus a second home for a few years.
However, the change of lifestyle is rarely the major reason why students apply to universities. Getting a degree as well as the knowledge that will be useful in future career are among the main reasons for such a decision.
Perhaps you are a person that seeks efficiency and have a desire to make use of every minute available. Or maybe you are already looking into master studies programs that could help you to advance in your field of study, but you want it to be compatible with the job you have or are planning to have by the time you finish your undergraduate degree. Or possibly you just want to expand your expertise in an area that is not related to your course of study and university that you are enrolled in is not offering it as an elective.
If any or all of the cases seem to be describing you, you might be interested in checking out possibilities of online education. Although most students prefer physical and social college environment, there are opportunities to study online courses that will award you with a degree, a certificate, or will simply provide knowledge in a discipline that you find fascinating.
Courses that do not provide a degree
There are many online schools and academies, such as Coursera, edX or Udemy where you are allowed to take online courses, even submit assignments, get grades and earn a certification. However, courses are usually not comprehensive and although after paying a small fee you will be able to receive a certificate that you finished the course and have knowledge in the field, that will not substitute bachelors, masters or doctorate degree.Still, this is a great opportunity if you are looking for a way to expand your CV and learn an additional marketable skill or simply to study something that has always interested you.
Courses that provide a college degree
In addition to that many universities provide an opportunity to study remotely and earn a bachelors or masters degree online. Most programs can be studied that way, an many universities are glad to provide such opportunity. Therefore, even if nearest universities are not offering a program you are interested in, you can find a way to study it in university, which might even be in different continent than your own.
In addition to that, studying online gives you an opportunity to earn a degree of a prestigious university in Australia, Europe or anywhere else in the world.
Free courses that do not provide official certification, but give you knowledge
Perhaps you just want to learn a new skill or language so that you could apply it in a project you are working on. Or maybe you just want to understand processes or ways to build arguments, write or learn better. There are ways to do that for free using online education. Although, many things can be learned simply watching Youtube videos, there are online systems that provide courses for free in order to promote their content. The websites of Coursera and Edx have quite a wide selection of courses that you have to pay only if you want to receive certification after completing the course.
In conclusion, there are opportunities to study and to even earn certification if necessary while traveling, working and trying to combine work and study and studying from the comfort of your home. The most important thing is to understand what you want, need and what will benefit you the most.
David Gutierrez has worked in the field of web design since 2005. Right now he started learning Java in order to get second occupation. His professional interests defined major topics of his articles. David writes about new web design software, recently discovered professional tricks and also monitors the latest updates of the web development.
