The psychological needs of a person, when left unfulfilled, keep on nagging their mental well-being, slowly pushing it to the brink of a breakdown. The issue becomes paramount, especially when it hits youngsters, such as college students, who hold the reigns of future progress and growth in society. In a stage of life when responsibilities slowly dawn and constant pressure to develop a thriving career weighs down on the shoulders, getting preyed upon by mental health issues is common. These factors are often coupled with personal problems and constrain the student’s ability to go through day-to-day life smoothly. As a result, every aspect of life is deeply affected, including social and academic life.
The mental health issue rates are alarming among the young population. If you are a college student struggling with hidden symptoms you cannot decipher, watch out for these mental health issues looming over your head.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):
As a college student, anxiety would not be a stranger to you that follows in day-to-day chores like an unwanted companion. However, where general anxiety is just about getting nervous, anxiety disorders, such as PTSD, extend beyond that. This condition usually follows a traumatic event you may have encountered, for example, a death of a dear one, an accident, or sexual harassment and sexual violence. The latter seems to contribute massively to PTSD cases since college students are prone to it, and many experience sexual harassment and abuse. If you or your fellow student has gone through this traumatic experience, do not hold back and report violence to campus officials to put an end to it.
The symptoms of PTSD include recurrent flashbacks of the traumatic event, extreme anxiety, nightmares, fear, avoidance of social gatherings, and mood changes. These psychological changes also lead to physical discomforts, such as palpitations, sweating, fatigue, nausea, and frequent headaches. If you find yourself in a similar situation, do not hesitate to reach out for some professional help to mitigate the symptoms.
Depression:
Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders among college students. The stress of academia, an abusive household, failed relationships, financial debts, etc., mount up to drag the students into constant pessimism and sadness. Along with that, moving away from home and adjusting to a new environment can be overwhelming. If unable to adapt, homesickness can further worsen the situation.
The symptoms of depression include feeling worthless, empty, hopeless, and never being well-rested. The sleep cycle is seriously disturbed due to its lack or excess. It may lead to irritability, loss of appetite, and losing interest in things you once enjoyed doing. The depressive feelings will elude you into believing that things will never get better, and you may refrain from seeking help. The worst-case scenario includes dropping out of college and discontinuing studies. So watch out for falling into this pit and take things one day at a time to handle them in a humanely possible way.
Bipolar Disorder:
This disorder usually surfaces in the late teens or early twenties. Therefore, it is essential to give the concerned college students access to mental health facilities and resources to understand and manage bipolar. However, college counseling centers usually can not provide a diagnosis for this disorder, and it goes untreated, causing it to aggravate. Bipolar includes extreme mood swings from highs, i.e., hypomania, to lows, i.e., depression. It can seriously hinder a person’s ability to think, causes irritability, and affects sleep and judgments. A change in lifestyle after moving to college, adjustment issues, and loneliness can especially target students genetically vulnerable to this disorder.
Substance Abuse Disorder:
College life is the first taste of independence, where a family would not be present to monitor your activities, and you would be on your own to navigate life. As appealing as it sounds, things sometimes take a wrong turn for various reasons. It may be social and physical problems or peer pressure due to which college students often resort to illicit drug or alcohol use. It is the most tragic mental health issue of all. The body and mind become so addicted to substance misuse that leaving it for good is no more a matter of only choice or willpower.
The consequences of substance abuse include legal and financial problems, a downfall in academic progress, and loss of physical coordination. So while you are at college, be on guard and distance yourself from all the negative influences that can steer you in the wrong direction.
Eating Disorders:
To achieve an acceptable and culturally attractive body type, or due to stress and anxiety to perform academically well, college students unknowingly fall prey to unhealthy eating patterns. The situation often begins with genuine concerns about eating healthy and maintaining weight, but when unaddressed, the symptoms of eating disorders soon start to surface. They have the highest mortality rate out of all the mental disorders.
Anorexia nervosa is one such disorder in which fear of gaining weight abstains a person from eating even when the weight falls dangerously low. It, in turn, affects other organ functions causing heart diseases, bone weakness, electrolyte imbalance, and kidney problems. On the other hand, bulimia nervosa includes excessive eating. However, the person resorts to unusual behaviors for compensation, such as induced vomiting, fasting, and using laxatives.
If you are diagnosed with an eating disorder, there is no way you can proceed alone after moving away from your family. So choose a college that provides counseling and medical services for such cases.
Conclusion:
College life is one of the most exciting times of life. Moving away from home and living independently, making new friends, and following your heart is like a journey to self-identification. It is adventuresome and nerve-wracking at the same time. However, how your college life turns out depends on your choices. Whether the fun-filled side dominates or topples under the weight of wrong decisions is something in your control. So if you have moved to a college, be aware of all the difficulties you would face and take things into your hands before they slip away from your grasp. Moreover, as a college administrator, destigmatizing mental health issues, encouraging the students to voice their problems, and providing sufficient counseling services will help curb the problem.