Mental Illness Common Among College/University Students
Mental illness has become more common among university students with more cases of severe mental illness being reported among university students than a decade ago, a new U.S. study shows.
The results came from an analysis of 3,265 university students who utilized campus guidance services between September 1997 and August 2009. The students were tested for mental disorders, suicidal thoughts and self-injurious behavior used clinical evaluations, interviews and two widely used tests of mood. The study was led by Hofstra University Director of Student Counseling John C. Guthman.
Students with moderate to severe depression jumped from 34 percent to 41 percent. Also, the number of students on psychiatric medications rose from 11 percent to 24 percent. Some positive findings that came out of these stats, was students who stated that they had thought of suicide within two weeks of counseling fell from 26 percent in 1998 to 11 percent in 2009.
Many of the students had been diagnosed with mood and anxiety disorders.
The study noted that the rise in the more severe cases of depression and anxiety in university students could be because more students are coming to college with pre-existing mental health issues.
“Our findings may suggest that students with severe emotional stress are getting better education, outreach and support during childhood that makes them more likely to attend college than in the past,” Guthman noted.
Facebook comments:
Funny there is no note that all the pressure placed on kids to go to and get into college might be a contributing factor in mental illness.