Student Wellness

College can be a challenging time for many students. By design, it helps them take necessary steps into adulthood, responsibility, and self-awareness. The challenges can be concerning, however, when students struggle under the weight of all those changes in unhealthy ways.

According to research, over half of the college students enrolled today will experience mental or emotional strain on a clinical level at some point during their time as a coed. This becomes even doubly concerning when paired with the fact that only 15% of them will reach out for the help they need.

If your student called home with flu symptoms, you would immediately know what to do and where to send them for medical help. But what about when the problem is further beneath the surface? How do you know if they are struggling beyond normal levels of stress? What if their homesickness is something more? What if you think they may be depressed, addicted, or unsafe?

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be providing some useful information to help you keep your students healthy, happy, and safe, even from a distance.

Signs of Struggle

Here’s a quick primer on a few common struggles for college students:

Depression

Although small and large setbacks can seem like the end of the world for some college students, those feelings usually don’t last long. However, If you have noticed feelings of sadness and hopelessness or uncharacteristic irritability for at least 2 weeks in your college students, they might be showing signs of depression.

Though depression is serious, it is also one of the most common health problems for college students. You should know:

● Depression is a medical illness AND it’s treatable.

● Early treatment is best.

● There are resources available for effective talk therapy or medication management at your university’s counseling center or local practices who see a sizable number of college students

If you suspect that your college student may be struggling with depression, encourage them to reach out for help soon. In the meantime, make sure they are eating and getting some fresh air and sunshine if possible. You may also want to encourage them to seek out a friend who can encourage them and keep an eye on them until the clouds begin to part.