For most college students, higher education is a time of growth, challenge and self-discovery. However, according to recent findings from the Healthy Minds study at the University of Michigan, the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have intensified students’ mental health challenges, with higher levels of anxiety, depression, and related disorders being reported than ever before. Data from the 2023-2024 nationwide survey also showed that mental health stigma remains a pervasive problem on college campuses with 41% of students agreeing with the statement that “most people would think less of someone receiving mental health treatment.”
These alarming trends make addressing mental health stigma on college campuses a critical priority for college administrators because stigma not only increases students’ psychological and emotional burden, but also deters them from seeking out supportive services, decreases their social engagement, and is a significant barrier to their overall academic success. To support student well-being, colleges must directly address mental health stigma by promoting greater visibility of mental health issues on campus as well as expanding access to trained mental health support personnel.
Mental health stigma impedes effective treatment of mental illness by discouraging open discussions about mental health, delaying treatment seeking, and reducing adherence to effective treatments provided by mental health professionals. Two forms of stigma- social and structural stigma- are particularly important for college and university personnel to understand and address. Social stigma refers to negative attitudes held by others toward those with mental health conditions.
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On campus, this stigma takes form as insensitive comments from peers, misunderstandings from professors, or even a dismissive campus culture. These attitudes isolate students and discourage them from seeking help, thus, reinforcing a cycle of silence and suffering. Another important barrier is structural stigma, which includes systemic barriers to mental health support, such as insufficient counseling services or long wait times for mental health appointments. When colleges fail to offer timely, widely accessible support, students may perceive mental health as a low institutional priority, further reinforcing stigma.
The consequences of stigma are profound. Delays in treatment allow conditions like anxiety and depression to worsen, leading to greater academic, social, and emotional distress. Students who avoid seeking support often experience isolation, reduced academic performance, and increased stress. Those who do seek treatment may face challenges following through on care due to ongoing stigma, sometimes leading to missed therapy appointments or discontinuation of medication. Addressing stigma is essential to improving student health and success.
Strategies for breaking down mental health stigma
To reduce stigma, some colleges and universities are taking proactive steps to normalize mental health discussions and expand access to campus supportive services.
At LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York, recent grant funding from Blue Cross Blue Shield led to the creation of the Dolphins Spreading Hope program with a 30-student peer ambassador initiative that promotes mental health and stigma reduction awareness to high school and college students. Proactive campaigns like the one being initiated at LeMoyne, coupled with institutional decisions to broadly integrate mental health topics more consistently across the curriculum elevate the importance of mental well-being and creates an environment that publicly values mental health and encourages student help-seeking behavior. When students see faculty, peers, and university leaders discussing mental health frequently and openly, they are more likely to view seeking help as a normal and encouraged part of their college experience.
Another critical strategy for colleges and universities to combat mental health stigma is to train a diverse network of campus community members to recognize and respond to mental health crises. My own university has partnered with the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program to train faculty, staff, students, and family members with the skills to identify mental distress, offer initial support, and refer individuals to appropriate mental health support resources. According to Dr. Kam Capoccia, Clinical Professor of Community Care, and Director of the program, this university-based MHFA program has had impressive success to-date, certifying 348 community members in 2023 alone.
Expansion of this program is already being planned in coming years. Having residential advisors (RAs), campus security officers, faculty and student leaders trained in MHFA creates multiple, highly visible support points for students to connect with and they are more likely to feel seen and supported. Additionally, by embedding mental health training protocols like MHFA into the onboarding processes for diverse campus roles, MHFA becomes a low-cost, sustainable campus initiative that creates a safer and more compassionate environment with many individuals capable of recognizing and supporting students’ mental health needs.
Addressing mental health stigma on college campuses is essential for fostering student well-being and academic success. To combat stigma, colleges must increase the visibility of mental health issues and train a cadre of community members to provide support. By adopting these strategies, colleges can dismantle barriers to care, encourage help-seeking behavior, and foster a more inclusive, empathetic campus community.
