Student Mental Health Conditions and the Role of Universities

According to research, mental health is becoming a major concern in higher education as the number of students with mental health problems has increased over the years. This trend is explained by the fact that most university students are between the age of 16 and 24 — an age group particularly vulnerable to these issues.

The transition from college to university is one of the causes of mental health disorders among young people. This change is considered by many students as a difficult and stressful process, as attending university means going out of their comfort zone; living away from home, becoming more independent, looking for a part-time job, and managing their money.

The changing demographics is another source of growing mental health problems, as the number of students from disadvantaged backgrounds in higher education has increased over the last decade. Although mental health problems can affect everyone, students from disadvantaged backgrounds have a higher risk of experiencing them.

Additionally, financial and academic stress are factors that have a negative impact on student mental health. Different studies have proven that high tuition fees and financial concerns are a partial explanation for the growth of mental health issues among university students.

The academic pressure and demands are other sources of stress. Academic demand has the ability to promote positive performance among some, but it can have a negative impact on the mindset of students. The graduate job market is becoming more and more competitive every year and learners need to develop the right skills to succeed in their careers. This creates stress among young people, as many graduate employers require an upper second-class honours degree to even be considered for a job role, making the need to perform academically even more important.

Even if stress is not a diagnosable mental condition, if excessive and poorly managed, it can lead to common mental problems such as anxiety and depression.

How can universities fight mental health disorders?

It’s important that institutions understand when students are experiencing mental health problems to avoid them getting worse. The signals that highlight when a learner is suffering from mental health problems can differ. Low attendance in classes, lower grades than expected, failure to submit assignments, no interaction in lectures, mood extremities, and excessive anxiety can all be signs an individual needs to seek help.

Once universities recognise that a student needs help, they should seek to talk to them and refer them to the institution’s student wellbeing department. The main aim of this organisation is to provide students with the support they need whenever they feel the necessity to talk to someone. However, there are also other services institutions offer to help learners to fight these issues, including advice on nutrition, sleep, physical activities and stress management.

Originally published at www.kortext.com by Roberta Nicora