Now, 30% of center directors in Gallagher’s survey say they have limits on how many times students can be seen at their facility. An additional 43% said they promote their centers as a short-term counseling service, even if they don’t explicitly forbid students from using them long-term.
Here are some alarming statistics on the mental health of college students:
Percentage of students who frequently felt depressed:
- 2005: 7%
- 2014: 9.5%
Percentage who felt overwhelmed:
- 2005: 26.8%
- 2014: 34.6%
Percentage who rated their emotional health “above average”:
- 2005: 60.8%
- 2014: 50.7%
According to a 2014 Psychology Today article, rates of anxiety and depression have sky-rocketed in the last few decades. A 2013 survey of college students found that 57% of women and 40% of men reported experiencing episodes of “overwhelming anxiety” in the past year, and 33% of women and 27% of men reported a period in the last year of feeling so depressed it was difficult to function. Studies suggest that between a quarter and a third of students meet criteria for an anxiety or depressive illness during their college experience.
One of the most dangerous aspects of depression and mental health concerns in general is suicide. According to the American College Health Association (ACHA) the suicide rate among young adults, ages 15-24, has tripled since the 1950s and suicide is currently the second most common cause of death among college students. That study also found 9.4% of students reported seriously considering attempted suicide at least once in a 12 month period, a marked increase from several decades ago.
Article Appeared @http://beforeitsnews.com/opinion-conservative/2015/09/increase-in-mentally-ill-students-in-u-s-collegesuniversities-3054376.html