Students mental health warning
Leaving home to study at university is a thrilling but also challenging time for many teenagers. Cut loose from the safety of home life for the first time, some students find it hard to adjust to the new freedoms and responsibilities of the adult world combined with the pressure of studying for a degree.
And now The Royal College of Psychiatrists is calling for better mental health provision and support for students in higher education.
Its report says more investment is needed as concerns grow that students with mental health problems are missing out on the help they need.
Over the past decade the student population has changed enormously: numbers have grown and students now come from more socially- and culturally-diverse backgrounds as well as a growing overseas student population. On top of this the increased debt students have to take on to complete a degree combined with fewer job opportunities at the end are adding to the pressures on students and having a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing.
Chairman of the working group that produced the report, and consultant psychiatrist, Dr John Callender, said: “The demand for counselling and mental health advisor services continues to rise. Although there are some excellent support services, in many universities the provision of services has not kept pace with expanding student numbers – leaving existing services overstretched.”
[See also: 15 minute stress busters]
It is estimated that 4% of university students are seen by counsellors each year with counsellors reporting increased demand for their services. As universities face cuts in their funding the concern is that these type of services will be put under even more pressure.
“Academic success, physical health and psychological well-being are closely linked, and institutions need to be aware of the importance of looking after their students’ health,” added Dr Callender.
The report points to first year students having to adapt to new environments and ways of learning, and the transition from home while mature students can become isolated. Within the university environment there is often significant peer pressure to misuse alcohol and drugs.
For serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, 18-25 years old is the peak age for their onset.
Recommendations from the report include: higher education institutions implementing a formal mental health policy with appropriate staff training; special attention for vulnerable groups such as international students; additional research on the prevalence of mental disorders in the student population and better co-operation between higher education institutions and the NHS to formulate local and national policies on student mental well-being.
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