This shouldn’t surprise anyone. Consider the messaging that college students hear day in and day out.
The College Fix reports:
Universities report continued spike in students seeking mental health servicesUniversities are reporting a significant uptick in students seeking mental health services after the American Psychological Association called the trend a “crisis” last fall.Wichita State University’s CARE team, which supports students and faculty in situations that interfere with their ability to “function to their full potential,” reported a 73 percent increase in “care reports” between September 2022 and 2023, according to The Sunflower, the Kansas university’s student newspaper.“Distress and a need for emotional support” were the two most frequent reasons for individuals seeking help, The Sunflower reported.The College Fix asked the university media office what factors it believes are contributing to the rise, what mental health services it offers to students, and if it plans to expand these services. The office initially responded but did not provide comment by the time of publication.Similarly, Washington State University also reported in October about a 25 percent increase in students seeking accommodations for disabilities, primarily for mental health issues, according to the university’s news site WSU Insider.Rob Morales, associate director of student services for the Pullman campus, told WSU Insider he believes the increase is due, in part, to the fact that “this population of students is more vocal about the support they need and advocating for themselves.”Eric Scott, director of student development at WSU Vancouver and manager of the Access Center, told the university that the return from pandemic-era learning to traditional learning also may contribute to the trend.Some colleges and universities are trying to create “outside the box” solutions to respond to their students’ needs, according to the APA.Santa Fe College in Florida, for example, offered Mental Health First Aid Training classes to students in October and November. The eight-hour course prepares students to assist their peers “who may be experiencing a mental health-related crisis or problem on campus,” according to the university website.
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