Staff Writer: Quinn McGhee
Mental illness is very common among college students, one in four students have a diagnosable illness, but 40% of those students do not seek help according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
Stigma around mental health is the biggest thing that keeps people from seeking support. Mental illness is not something that should be stigmatized because it is very common and more than likely someone you know deals with a mental illness.
A diagnosis should only be given by a medical professional, you should never try to self-diagnose or diagnose a friend or family member.
Some mental health conditions don’t start to show signs until age 24. According to statistics, most people will experience symptoms before they graduate.
Everyone will go through periods of feeling stressed, sad, or anxious but this only becomes a problem when it lasts for long periods of time.
Depression is the most common mental disorder where 36.4% of college students have experienced to some level. It is simply a chemical imbalance in your brain. Symptoms can differ from person to person because everyone’s brain is different.
Anxiety disorder takes place when the level of stress and anxiety hinder your daily life.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults over the age of 18 while only one-third of those people peruse treatment.
Most people believe that only women have eating disorders, but men and women can both develop eating disorders during their college years. Most don’t seek help or realize the seriousness of their problem. Eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating. Persons suffering from eating disorders also have the highest mortality rate.
Alcohol and drug addiction are also very common on many college campuses. What sometimes starts as social use can become a blooming addiction.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 21.3% of adults between 18 and 25 have used illicit drugs. 3.8% admitted to using psychotherapeutic drugs (prescription drugs for mental disorders) for non-medical reasons.
If you ever want to seek help or talk to a professional on campus you can always make an appointment with counseling services by email, counseling@wingate.edu
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