World Mental Health Day was on Oct. 10. In 1992, The World Federation for Mental Health created this day to raise awareness for mental health and advocate against the social stigma toward mental health.
Additionally, October is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month. This month serves as a conversation starter as to how to address issues with mental health, an important topic for college students.
College students today struggle with mental health issues more than previous generations of students have ever appeared to. College has always been difficult, stressful and all around a lot of work, but surveys point to students today as having more significant mental struggles than what has been exhibited in the past.
According to a Healthy Minds survey of 96,000 students, 44% reported symptoms of depression, 37% said they experienced anxiety and 15% said they have seriously considered suicide. These are the highest reported rates in 15 years.
This rise in mental health struggles raises the question as to why college students are suffering now more than ever. Students at GC have expressed their opinions on mental health struggles and why it is important to bring awareness to this topic.
“People struggle with mental health because they are under extreme amounts of pressure coming into college and stress,” said Drew Hill, a sophomore mass communication major. “They don’t know how to handle it being away from home. It’s important to talk about your mental health because it lets other people around you know that they’re not alone and brings awareness to the situation.”
Moving into an unfamiliar environment and not knowing what to expect can cause stress that negatively affects mental health. Not knowing how to deal with these struggles can worsen the problem.
“Balancing school and mental health can be hard at times, and it takes time to figure out how to manage your time,” said Noam Laks, a senior marketing major. “Students struggle the most with these issues and have a hard time admitting that they are struggling. It is important to reach out to someone — anyone — before things take a heavy toll on you. I’m glad that Mental Health Awareness Day exists because it destigmatizes what a lot of people go through.”
Some believe that mental health struggles in college-aged students can stem from the increase in use and prevalence of social media.
“Social media has a huge influence on teenagers and young adults now,” Laks said. “With influencers setting incredibly unrealistic expectations of beauty, it causes teenage girls and young women to be harder on themselves and lower their self-esteem. This leads to serious depression and mental health issues.”
Seeking help for mental health struggles has become less stigmatized within the last few years. Students at GC have access to counseling services through the school.
“Mental illness has become easier to talk about, but it should be as easy as breathing,” said Caroline Hatcher, a sophomore psychology major. “I encourage anyone who is struggling to open up to someone they trust, journal their thoughts and go to therapy.”
If you or a friend is struggling with mental health issues, reach out to GC Counseling Services.
