Heading to college is an exciting and unique period in a young adult’s development. The college years are marked by a new sense of freedom, growing independence, further identification of personal values and the start of those first tentative steps towards the people we want to be and the lives we want to lead. Yet navigating the transition to college life can be jarring. College, especially the first few years, is a time of increased vulnerability. For many students, it is their first experience away from their support networks of family and lifelong friends. The college environment places many new demands on students and navigating changing routines, complex class schedules and intense pressure to achieve social and academic success causes many students to struggle. These challenges are compounded by the fact that it is during this age group that symptoms of mental illness can first emerge. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1 in 5 young adults live with a mental health condition; 50% will develop a condition by age 14 and 75% by age 24.
Mental Health on Campus: The Numbers
80% of students feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities50% of students have felt overwhelming anxiety that caused them to struggle academically31% of students have experienced depression that caused significant impairment in functioning 25% of students have a diagnosable mental illness40% of students do not seek treatment
(Data by NAMI)
NAMI video to embed or link to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSn_C1l0oWI