Two of the most common mental illnesses among college students being Anxiety and Depression. As of 2018, one in five college students suffer from Anxiety or Depression.
Image Credit: Advocate Health Care
As listed on the graphic above, many of the leading causes for anxiety in college students are; exams, tuition, midterms, grades, schoolwork, and trying to fit in with the “college crowd”, just to name a few.
Halfway through my freshman year I decided my own anxiety was officially getting to the better of me. The transition of being three hours away from home, in a completely different state, seventeen credit hours, and trying to balance playing two sports was finally taking its toll on me. All of these stressors adding up finally prompted me to visit my school’s wellness center and schedule an appointment with one of the counselors. This was a big deal for me, I hated to admit that I couldn’t do everything I wanted to without a little guidance. Especially so, considering that 40% of college students suffering do not seek help when needed.
The reason I wanted to make this public knowledge is to give reassurance to others feeling this way. I want other students at any school to know that it is okay to seek help if you need it. The biggest tip I feel I can give is to seek help sooner than later. It’s better to have help and not really need it than to not have help when you are definitely in need of it.
Below I have listed some phone numbers of multiple different mental health hotlines that are available 24/7 as a source for help if going to talk to a counselor in person may not be your thing. There are multiple numbers you can text if you are not comfortable talking on the phone.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline: 1-800-NAMI (6264)
Crisis Text Line: Text “home” to 741741
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Stay strong and HCXO,
Mallory