Students in Crisis: Mental Health & Suicide
on College Campuses

Excerpt from Katie Couric's in-depth look at a mental health epidemic

College students are reporting that they’re more depressed and anxious than ever before and are pouring into overwhelmed college counseling centers for help, often waiting weeks for appointments. Universities are attempting to respond but haven’t kept up with the crisis.

“We know that colleges have actually increased their staffing and increased their budgets in many, many cases,” said Dr. Victor Schwartz, the medical director for the JED Foundation and the former medical director of counseling services at New York University. “It hasn’t kept up with the demand. As much as they seem to increase, students are coming in. There does seem to be a very, very large need.”

It’s unclear what’s driving the dramatic decrease in emotional health on campus. It’s possible more students now feel comfortable seeking help in the first place, instead of bottling up their problems. But many college counseling centers are ill-equipped to deal with these students’ more complicated mental health issues.

“Colleges are slammed, and services are lacking,” she said.

There’s also clearly a societal and cultural element at play. New York Times columnist Frank Bruni said that college administrators overwhelmingly describe today’s students as “fragile.” They’re seeing less resilience and adaptability in students today than even those from a decade earlier. Some blame over-involved parenting styles that put intense pressure on kids to succeed.

Please click here to continue reading and watch the videos. It's a fascinating and heart-wrenching look into the difficulties college kids face today. It examines how parenting styles, societal expectations, and mental health care access and education all play large parts in the issue. 
  
From Mental Health America of Franklin County/ Wellness Wednesday from MHAFC