Expanding mental health programs vital to lowering suicide rates on campuses

By: Alison Malmon
Posted In: Opinion

(MCT)

WASHINGTON _ As another academic year shifts into full gear, millions of college students once again are settling in with new roommates, adjusting to new course schedules, and adapting to life away from families and friends.

For far too many, the stress level can be excruciating. The academic, financial and social pressures for both first-year students and upperclassmen often overwhelm the excitement of embarking on a quest for knowledge that can _ and should _ lead to a life of achievement, fulfillment and happiness.

All too often, however, college students feel more loneliness, isolation and stress than they’ve ever known before. Still others are reliving many of the same grueling competitive stresses and mental health issues first encountered on their path through high school.

Whether new to the college scene or returning upperclassmen, not all collegians, contrary to the generally rosy public perception, are experiencing “the best time of their lives” _ and it’s high time we owned up to it.

The statistics are mind numbing. In a 2005 survey conducted by the American College Health Association, more than half of the nation’s 17.6 million college students reported being so depressed that they could not function; and 1 in 10 students _ 1,760,000 _ reported they had seriously contemplated attempting suicide.

The vast majority of Americans don’t realize that suicide is the second-leading cause of death for college students _ killing more young people between the ages of 18-24 than all physical illnesses combined.

One reason for this knowledge vacuum is because a serious dialogue about mental health and suicide on college campuses is largely absent. Many students who experience loneliness or anxiety have no idea that they can get professional treatment on campus; and, just as important, they think they’re alone.

Moreover, many students are convinced they can start anew when they arrive on campus. They assume the mental health problems they experienced in high school were just a phase and a different environment will ease or end their symptoms. For some the transition to college may prove to be the change they needed, but for others that first semester of college sends them plummeting to an all-time low.

Mental illnesses are not just debilitating, they are isolating. It is imperative that we build a genuine support network on college campuses and provide tolerant and safe environments so that each and every student has a better chance of thriving.

Until recently, most colleges and universities have been remiss in publicizing their mental health resources and failed to reach out to students as soon as they enter the orientation process. Incoming students need to be informed about the resources available to them both on-campus and in the surrounding community. And college officials should urge them to take their mental health as seriously as they would their physical well-being.

Over the past decade America has stepped up to the challenge of accommodating people with physical disabilities, fostering tolerance and compassion. Mental health disorders are every bit as real as physical ones and deserve the same respect and acceptance.

The fact is that many mental health disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, anxiety _ for reasons both biological and situational _ show up for the first time during college years. The earlier these symptoms are acknowledged and the illnesses are treated, the quicker students recover and regain their equilibrium, returning to studies, friendships and the activities they enjoy.

In order to avert the pain and suffering the entire college community experiences when a student withdraws due to a mental illness _ or far worse, a tragic suicide _ college students must be made aware of the signs and symptoms of mental illnesses. They should be encouraged to discuss their concerns with friends or classmates who are demonstrating signs of illness, and encourage them to avail themselves of the plethora of mental health resources available on-campus, in the community and over the Internet.

Mental health awareness is reaching ever-growing numbers among the vulnerable young adult population that needs it most. And through the power of peer-to-peer support and mental health education, students are finally getting the message they need to hear: that they are not alone and that recovery is attainable.

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ABOUT THE WRITER

Alison Malmon is president and founder of Active Minds (www.activeminds.org), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the mental health of college students. Readers may write her at Active Minds, 1875 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 418, Washington, D.C. 20009, or e-mail her at amalmon@activeminds.org.

This essay is available to McClatchy-Tribune News Service subscribers. McClatchy-Tribune did not subsidize the writing of this column; the opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of McClatchy-Tribune or its editors.

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