Dorm bedding? Check. Mini fridge? Check. Contact info for campus mental health services?

This year, parents and students going off to school may need to revamp their college checklists to include ways to promote emotional well-being.

According to a New York Times article, a 2017 survey of over 700 parents/guardians revealed that over 40 percent said “they did not discuss the potential for either anxiety or depression when helping their teenagers prepare for college or postsecondary school.”

But the numbers of students experiencing mental health challenges are up. Way up. According to the CDC, more than 1 in 3 high schoolers experienced “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2019, representing a 40 percent increase since 2009.” Markedly, those figures predate the pandemic, which ushered in what experts are calling a full-blown teen mental health crisis.

Campus mental health has also been on the decline. According to a new study involving over 350,000 students on 400 campuses, “more than 60 percent of students surveyed during the 2020-2021 academic year met criteria for one or more mental health problems, a nearly 50 percent increase from 2013.”

In light of these alarming statistics, experts recommend that parents and students revisit their off-to-college plans to account for mental health support. They offer the following suggestions for teens heading off to campus:

Connect early with the counseling center

If you have an existing mental health condition or concern, you can contact the counseling center at your school even before classes begin. The Jed Foundation, a national suicide prevention organization that aims to protect the emotional wellbeing of youth, suggests the following list of questions for the school’s counseling center:

• What services are provided?
• Are there a maximum number of sessions allowed per year?
• Is there a counselor on call 24 hours a day? If not, what after-hours emergency services are available?
• What accommodations are available through disability services for students with emotional disorders?
• What is the school’s policy on taking leaves of absence?
• Are there other types of support available, like text lines or resident advisers?

Embrace other types of support

There are plenty of resources for support on college campuses, such as tutoring, academic and peer advising, student activities and clubs, and career services – all of which can help support emotional well-being.

Making connections with other students is especially key. However, if that proves difficult, it can exacerbate mental health concerns. The Jed Foundation CEO John MacPhee notes, “College students report that loneliness and isolation and feeling like they don’t fit it – those kinds of emotions are very common and challenging in the first year of college.”

So it helps to come armed with sources of support from home. Consider creating your own helpline, listing anyone who knows and values you – whether parents, siblings, high school friends, or a trusted leader in your religious community who has taken an interest.

Melissa Martin, a licensed social worker and the chairwoman of counseling services at SUNY Broome Community College offers the following sage advice: “I often recommend making a list of your three to five biggest supporting people in your life. And when you’re not feeling the best at school, you know you can reach out to one of them.”

Students of color and other marginalized groups can take courses in ethnic studies that address the societal inequities that contribute to stress, anxiety, and depression. Dr. Ebony McGee of Vanderbilt University recommends seeking out “places and spaces where you are affirmed and celebrated, and not simply tolerated.”

Practice basic wellness habits

Sleep is a major factor in mental health, and it’s important to make sure students are getting enough of it. Some hard-driving seniors are getting only five hours of sleep a night. Summer can be a time to reset the biological clock, especially for sleep-deprived students. Screen time can be cut back to promote sleep hygiene.

Eating in more healthy ways and getting exercise also set you up for success in the transition from home.

Dave Anderson, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute also recommends openly discussing alcohol with teens the summer before they leave, addressing the pressure to binge drink in college. By setting boundaries now, students are better prepared to make healthier choices in college.

“How can we make sure that this summer you’re setting intentional goals related to your limits and what you feel like is safe for you?” he asks college-bound teens, a conversation that can make parents nervous.

“But if we can speak honestly to kids about that, they will be more likely to set those limits when they get to college because they’ve practiced.”

Read the full article here.

Caron, Christina. “Before Heading to College, Make a Mental Health Checklist.” The New York Times, 08 July 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/08/well/mind/mental-health-college-students.html.

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