Join us Thursday, Feb 22 to pray for college students and colleges—Collegiate Day of Prayer 2018. Call (712) 432-0075 WITH CODE 1412452# at 1215 ET.

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And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Phil 1:6)

“Many of us think of college as a wondrous time of new experiences and great freedom to explore new ideas and find one’s true self.

In recent years, however, depression and anxiety have afflicted college students at alarming rates. As noted in the latest Center for Collegiate Mental Health report, anxiety and depression are the top reasons that college students seek counseling.

Research shows that nearly 1 in 5 university students are affected with anxiety or depression.

So why are these disorders so prevalent in our college students? As a professor of psychiatry and a practicing psychiatrist who has experience with mental health problems among college students, I see a number of factors. . . .

Social media and technology are among the most dangerous of these factors. . . .

But there are other culprits, such as the desire to get into a good college – and stay in college with good grades. To attain these goals, it is not uncommon for students and their parents to seek chemical assistance. . . .

Moreover, while going to college can be exciting for many, for some the adjustment is hard with profound homesickness and separation anxiety. These students are at very high risk for depression and anxiety.

Financial stresses brought about by the rising cost of college, including the dread of debt and fear of not getting a job after college and having to move back in with mom and dad after graduation, are associated with increased risk for depression and anxiety in college students.

In the past, it was taken for granted that our children would surpass their parents. Now that is not so. Many college students believe that they will not be able to accomplish as much as their parents did. . . .

The key is recognizing those at highest risk and who are most vulnerable early. Colleges have to respond on day one and confront the stigma that still follows those with mental illness. Training peer support groups is vital. This is not something to be done in isolation but under the guidance, supervision, and training of experienced psychiatrists, psychologists and psychiatric social workers.

Most of all, students and parents need to know from the very beginning of the college experience that the physical and mental well-being of students matters. Colleges should let parents and students know that there are trained and qualified people who can help students at risk discreetly and confidentially.  (Excerpted from The Conversation, by David Rosenberg, Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Wayne State University.)