Going to college is full of emotions. It is exciting to be out on your own and creating a new life for yourself. New friends, experiences, and learning keep you busy and interested in what the next day has to offer.
There are also challenges, however. It is not easy to keep yourself healthy in college with the temptations from drinking and eating fast food. And, there is also the mental health aspect to contend with. Being out on your own for the first time is very stressful. Add to that the pressure to perform well and it is a recipe for shaky mental health.
Some people buckle under the pressure and need to find a behavioural health clinic to sort themselves out. In this article, we will go over the most common mental health issues a college student faces.
1 – Anxiety
Everybody experiences anxiety at some point or another in their lives. When it occurs in college it is amplified as a problem since most young brains are not fully developed yet at that point.
The pressures they face cause anxiety that is hard to overcome. Worrying about grades or finances can quickly swing toward panic and crippling anxiety. What separates run-of-the-mill anxiety from mental health issues is often how it can become an obstacle to getting through the day.
2 – Eating disorders
A very insidious mental health disorder that affects college students is one that many don’t even realize that they have. Eating disorders are very common among both genders but are more common among women. There is a preoccupation with how one looks combined with the pressures felt by their peers. They want to be accepted often means looking like a certain ideal they have in their head.
There is also the stress that comes from the whole college experience. One way to cope is by eating or not eating. It helps one feel in control of their situation.
Then things snowball and suddenly the eating disorder becomes all-consuming. It is then a serious mental health problem that requires professional help. The two most common eating disorders are anorexia and bulimia. Anorexia is when people essentially only eat barely enough to survive. Bulimia is when they binge eat and then force themselves to vomit everything they’ve eaten so they don’t lose weight.
3 – Addiction
Partying is part of the college experience that everybody takes part in at one point or another.
It is fun to test limits and be very social. What happens to some, however, is that it goes too far and becomes an addiction. Then, it takes over their life and makes studying and other responsibilities fall by the wayside. When it interferes with studies, relationships, and changes personality then it is time to seek help.
Conclusion
Luckily, there are many resources on campus for students that are overwhelmed by the experience and develop some of these mental health issues. If any of these sound familiar then seek out counseling on campus to start the process of healing.