MENTAL HEALTH AND HIGHER ED

EVERY KID IS ONE CARING ADULT AWAY FROM BEING A SUCCESS STORY
BY: JESSICA THOMPSON
SPA 510
LIVING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS"
 MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AFFECTING
COLLEGE STUDENTS
SUICIDE & DEPRESSION
STRESS & ANXIETY
COLLEGE ADDICTION
DRUGS/ALCOHOL
EATING DISORDERS
BI-POLAR DISORDER
SELF INJURY
PSYCHOTIC DISORDER/SCHIZOPHRENIA
ADHD (ATTENTION DEFICIENT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER
SLEEP ISSUES
 THE NUMBERS THAT HURT

ONE IN FOUR STUDENTS HAVE A DIAGNOSABLE ILLNESS

40% DO NOT SEEK HELP
80% FEEL OVERWHELMED BY THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES
50% HAVE BEEN SO ANXIOUS THEY STRUGGLED IN SCHOOL
MORE TEENAGERS AND YOUNG ADULTS DIE FROM SUICIDE THAN FROM ALL OTHER MEDICAL
ILLNESSES COMBINED ACCORDING TO NATIONAL DATA ON CAMPUS SUICIDE AND
DEPRESSION
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IMPACT STUDENTS' ABILITY
TO SUCCEED:

ALMOST ONE THIRD OF ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS REPORT HAVING FELT SO DEPRESSED THAT
THEY HAD TROUBLE FUNCTIONING.
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN THE COLLEGE STUDENT POPULATION, SUCH AS DEPRESSION,
ANXIETY, AND EATING DISORDERS, ARE ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER GPA AND HIGHER
PROBABILITY OF DROPPING OUT OF COLLEGE.
MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF COLLEGE STUDENTS FELT OVERWHELMED BY ALL THEY HAD TO
DO IN THE PAST YEAR AND 45 PERCENT HAVE FELT THINGS WERE HOPELESS.
 MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES CAN BE DEADLY:
SUICIDE IS THE 2ND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS, CLAIMING THE LIVES
OF 1,100 STUDENTS EACH YEAR.
67% OF COLLEGE STUDENTS TELL A FRIEND THEY ARE FEELING SUICIDAL BEFORE TELLING ANYONE
ELSE.
MORE THAN HALF OF COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE HAD SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND 1 IN 10 STUDENTS
SERIOUSLY CONSIDER ATTEMPTING SUICIDE. HALF OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE SUICIDAL THOUGHTS
NEVER SEEK COUNSELING OR TREATMENT.
80-90% OF COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO DIE BY SUICIDE WERE NOT RECEIVING HELP FROM THEIR
COLLEGE COUNSELING CENTERS
 WHAT CAN YOU DO?
CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY
KNOW THE FACTS
LISTEN TO EVERYONE
BE AWARE OF YOUR ATTITUDE
EDUCATE OTHERS
FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE
SUPPORT OTHERS
BE INCLUSIVE
STRIVE TO ELIMINATE THE STIGMA
 SCHLOSSBERGS THEORY OF TRANSITION
THE 4 SS: 4 MAJOR FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE A PERSONS ABILITY TO COPE IN TRANSITION
SITUATION TRIGGER & TIMING OF SITUATION, PERSONS CONTROL, IF SITUATION CAUSES A
ROLE CHANGE, DURATION, PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH TRANSITIONS, CONCURRENT STRESS,
& ASSESSMENT OF TRANSITION.
SELF PERSONAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERS: AFFECTING HOW AN INDIVIDUAL VIEWS
LIFE. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCES: AIDS IN COPING WITH TRANSITION.
SUPPORT TYPE, FUNCTION & MEASUREMENT OF SUPPORT AS WELL AS INTIMATE
RELATIONSHIPS, FAMILY UNITS, NETWORKS OF FRIENDS, INSTITUTIONS AND COMMUNITIES.
STRATEGIES THOSE THAT MODIFY THE SITUATION, THOSE THAT CONTROL THE MEANING OF
THE PROBLEM, AND THOSE THAT AID IN MANAGING THE STRESS IN THE AFTERMATH.
 NASPA (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT
PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATORS) & MENTAL HEALTH
THE MENTAL HEALTH FOCUS AREA SUPPORTS ONGOING EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THE MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUES THAT STUDENTS FACE. AS THE STIGMA SURROUNDING MENTAL HEALTH
CONTINUES TO DWINDLE, STUDENT AFFAIRS PRACTITIONERS WILL CONTINUALLY BE FACING
AND ADAPTING TO NEW CHALLENGES. NASPA PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS
IN THE FORM OF SPECIALIZED CONFERENCE EXPERIENCES, KNOWLEDGE COMMUNITIES, AND
EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON THE SUBJECT.
NASPAS MENTAL HEALTH CONSTITUENT GROUPS
 PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY AREAS FOR STUDENT
AFFAIRS EDUCATORS
DESCRIPTION
ADDRESSES THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND DISPOSITIONS RELATED TO PROVIDING ADVISING AND
SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS THROUGH DIRECTION, FEEDBACK, CRITIQUE, REFERRAL,
AND GUIDANCE. THROUGH DEVELOPING ADVISING AND SUPPORTING STRATEGIES THAT TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT SELF-KNOWLEDGE AND THE NEEDS OF OTHERS, WE PLAY CRITICAL ROLES IN
ADVANCING THE HOLISTIC WELLNESS OF OURSELVES, OUR STUDENTS, AND OUR COLLEAGUES.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PROGRESSION FROM FOUNDATIONAL TO ADVANCED LEVEL PROFICIENCY INVOLVES THE
DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHER ORDER CAPACITIES FOR LISTENING, ADDRESSING GROUP DYNAMICS,
MANAGING CONFLICT AND CRISIS SITUATIONS, AND PARTNERING WITH OTHER PROFESSIONALS,
DEPARTMENTS, AND AGENCIES.
UNIVERSITY UNITS THAT SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH

COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES

UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEMS
DEPARTMENT PSYCHIATRY
DEPRESSION CENTER
PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC
UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR CHILD AND FAMILY
ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTER
 RESOURCES

HTTPS://WWW.NASPA.ORG/CONSTITUENT-GROUPS/GROUPS/PROFESSIONAL-STANDARDS-
DIVISION
HTTP://COLLEGE.USATODAY.COM/2016/01/30/MENTAL-HEALTH-BY-THE-NUMBERS/
HTTP://HEMHA.ORG/
HTTPS://WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM/EDUCATION/SERIES/MENTAL-HEALTH-A-UNIVERSITY-
CRISIS
HTTP://WWW.CHRONICLE.COM/ARTICLE/COLLEGES-ADD-MENTAL-HEALTH/237824