Dear Parents,
When your child goes to college, he or she will encounter a whole new world of challenges. Some situations will involve academics and others will include new social adventures, but all of these experiences will introduce new kinds of psychological stress. By far, isolation is the most common, significant and often unexpected stress that new college students associate with increased anxiety and poor academic performance.
While many students join every program, club, sport and activity available this “over-joining” most often leads to an overwhelming number of superficial and unfulfilling relationships. Freshman often find themselves overcommitted, overwhelmed and spread too thin – leading to hollow acquaintances, less authentic support, suffering grades and increased stress. And this isolation is often the root of depression and other harmful practices including, poor sleep practices, unhealthy diets and substance abuse.
According to the Center for Disease Control, suicide is the No. 2 leading cause of death among those ages 15-34.
Although there may have been greater room for such “enrichment” practices and experimentation in the past, the competition, expectations and financial responsibility associated with college today are much more difficult to navigate successfully without an increased level of intention and personal regulation. However, an intentional approach must also include knowing when to play and finding healthy avenues for relief and recharging as much as it does knowing when to focus and study. It is a delicate balance that requires students to practice reflection and understanding as well as how to create a personal support system before being dropped into the unfamiliar chaos of college life.
Current statistics show that one in twelve college students will make a suicide plan and that suicide accounts for the deaths of more young people than all other medical illnesses combined. Depression – and how to minimize it – is something to be openly discussed with teens. For students heading to college this is even more critical.
As an educational consultant I make a point to openly discuss issues related to balancing commitments and how to build support systems while in high school so these networks can be replicated successfully and established at college. Having a healthy and dependable support group when the multi-headed stress monster is unleashed during freshman year can provide the essential sounding board and vital safety net for freshman and sophomores, helping them maintain psychological health and academic success. Practicing habits of moderation and asking for help are important in high school; however, according to the college students I work with these essential habits and skills are even more important when faced with the increased pressures and novelties of college. According to my students, helping them learn these crucial life skills in high school may be the most important component for dramatically increasing their success – and health – in college.
- Mental Health in College by the Numbers – USA Today
- Depression and College Students – Healthline
- 2015 Suicide Facts – NIH
There are many symptoms and behaviors that can help students recognize their own depression as well as provide parents with a checklist for identifying signs of depression in their children.