Since the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health has been on the forefront of the minds of Americans. During this time, Time Magazine has reported therapist appointments for individuals between the ages of 19 and 44 rose by 2%. Universities around the country saw shutdowns, turning to online education; many students lacked connection and sought out someone to talk to. We, as a society, need to take better care of our younger generation. They are the future; If we don’t look out for the younger generation, our problems, especially those concerning mental health, will only become worse.

The young adult mental health crisis stretches across the country, affecting all groups of students. According to the National Education Association, a survey of 90,000 students across 133 campuses found that two-thirds of college students experienced extreme sadness. A third of these students were “so depressed that they couldn’t function.” 

A large portion of this problem, for college students, is the cost of living. College is so expensive, with rising dorm prices and tuition, that many students choose to live off campus, which requires rent and utilities to be paid. So, many students choose to get part time jobs, and that adds an extra stressor. On top of that many students have problems with money because if a student does not have scholarships and if grant money does not cover everything they have to resort to loans. According to the Education Data Initiative over 43 million students have student loans. That should say a lot about how much pressure we put on so many students.   

A lack of services is also a major issue, which causes additional stress for overwhelmed faculty. Most students need more than just lectures; a lot of faculty members serve as advisors, and students seek them out for crisis situations. Add that to grading, teaching, and doing all of the other things that professors do — it’s a lot. Our educators need to be paid more, because we need more professors. More professors would mean more room to fit in students who are dealing with stress and personal issues, like trying to put together a four year graduation plan or problems at home.

An article from CNN written by Diedre McPhillips, “Mental health struggles are driving more students to consider dropping out, survey finds,” discussed the pressure that college students are facing.“About 75% of lifetime mental health problems will occur by the mid-20s, so that means that the college years are a very epidemiologically vulnerable time,” said Sarah K. Lipson in an interview with CNN. Lipson, who serves as an assistant professor at Boston University, also works with the Healthy Minds Network as principal investigator. The organization focuses on the mental health of young people. 

“The shame spiral” as a student described in the article, can be a negative way for one to punish themselves. No one should ever judge someone for going through a tough time; because it happens so often in today’s day and age with the amount of work and stress people endure. 

I personally have had the same experiences with that, some of my best friends have graduated recently and seeing them leave was a very difficult experience for me, especially trying to figure out how to move forward without them being here. 

In high school it can seem easier, because your friends are just going to college, and you know you’ll be right behind them. But in college, you are eager to be done with the undergrad program because it is the last step to adulthood; the only problem is that you don’t know if you’ll end up in the same places as your friends. This underlying issue, of becoming really close with friends and seeing them graduate while you are still taking classes, is difficult, though it is not really talked about.

On top of that, according to the University of Tulsa, the average student changes their major three times, and 80% of students will change it at least once. This often pushes back graduation dates, so students feel a rush to graduate, which can lead to anxiety and depression. 

Even with all of this, there is hope and good steps forward that can be taken.

First, as a community, we need to build support for each other. Don’t stigmatize someone struggling with mental health, encourage them to seek out therapy or talk to their advisor who can lead them in the right direction. This is because no one should get left behind and if anyone feels alone they need to be assisted. 

The EKU Counseling Center located in the Whitlock building on the fifth floor is always more than happy to assist someone. If you go to the website they have plenty of resources and links to go through to be able to help out any student who needs assistance. 

Second, understand your support system. Friends and family are usually more than willing to help; that is what they are there for. If you are ever feeling overwhelmed, reach out; there are a lot of resources available, such as one on one therapy, or group therapy if you feel more comfortable in a group setting. 

Finally, be kind to people. Find your community.