There is a crisis on college campuses across America. Over the past decade, the share of college students experiencing depression has nearly doubled from 21% in 2014 to more than 40% in 2023, according to the Healthy Minds Network, a research organization that studies teen and young adult mental health at colleges and universities across the country. The rate of anxiety among college students is nearly as high, and 15% say they have seriously considered suicide.
Not only does student mental health have a direct impact on success, but it can have enormous consequences outside the classroom. About 1 in 4 students who experience mental health challenges drop out of school, with those who experience depression being twice as likely to leave college without completing a degree or earning a credential. On the flip side, improving student mental health enhances academic performance, retention and graduation rates.
Though more and more institutions are sounding the alarm about the growing mental health needs of their students, the solutions are not easy. Many schools struggle to hire enough counselors because of financial constraints and a nationwide shortage of mental and behavioral health professionals. Support staff report feeling overwhelmed and burnt out. Counseling center staff are quitting at unprecedented rates.
Read more at U.S. News.
