The State of Mental Health on College Campuses: A Growing Crisis
In a December 19 article, the New York Times reported on a phenomenon that colleges across the country are all too familiar with: the rising number of students grappling with serious mental health problems that are seeking treatment at campus counseling centers. The article brought attention to an alarming and growing trend that began in the early to mid-1990s. At that time, university and college counseling centers noticed a shift in the needs of students seeking counseling services from more developmental and informational needs, to more severe psychological problems.
In the past decade this shift has not only solidified, it has reached increasingly higher levels. In the 2010 National Survey of Counseling Center Directors, respondents reported that 44 percent of their clients had severe psychological problems, a sharp increase from 16 percent in 2000. The most common of these disorders are depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, alcohol abuse..,