Anxiety New Most Common Mental Health Concern Among College Students
Depression is no longer the number one mental health concern among college students, according to a New York Times report. Now anxiety tops the list.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Director of Counseling Services Jamie Linsin says it is estimated that only one-third of those suffering from anxiety disorders receive treatment. He emphasizes that even the most extreme anxiety symptoms are treatable and can be resolved.
“College students face a range of stressors, including trying to balance classes, work, friends, family and extra-curricular activities,” said Linsin. “We’ve become a society of multi-taskers who are constantly on the go. Multi-tasking is a useful skill to have, but taken to the extreme it leaves people with little free time and uncertainty about how to use that free time in relaxing ways.”
Linsin says the all too common “fight or flight” response is not well suited for the kinds of stresses students face today. He notes that students can’t do battle or run from stressful triggers like exams, deadlines at work and interpersonal conflict, as that internal response would suggest.
“If you’re struggling with anxiety, you’re not alone,” Linsin said. “It’s the most common form of mental illness. It’s important not to blame yourself. We all experience anxiety at one time or another.
“I recommend trying to carve out a brief period of time in your schedule on a regular basis to do something healthy and relaxing. Even a 15-minute walk or five minutes of relaxed breathing once every week can help. But, if your anxiety is so difficult that it’s getting in the way of your school, work or social life – seek help.”
SIUE Counseling Services provides individual and group counseling and support that can be very helpful for those dealing with anxiety. Counseling Services’ staff includes counselors and a psychiatrist. Linsin says the right help can teach new ways of managing stress, letting go of intense anxiety and living with compassion for one’s self.
Collaborators from the SIUE Schools of Pharmacy and Nursing, and SIUE Counseling Services have received a 2015 Campus Suicide Prevention Grant through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) valued at $299,442. The SIUE iCARE suicide prevention project further strengthens the University’s commitment to student safety and support.
Photo: Jamie Linsin, PhD, director of Counseling Services at SIUE.
