A recent study conducted at the Kansas State University shows a sharp increase from 1989 to 2001 of college students seeking psychological counseling. According to a Feb. 3 article in The New York Times, this was the first study to investigate specific psychological problems among college students and the results indicate that students are dealing with serious forms of mental distress.
Far from causing alarm at the increasing number of students needing psychological aid, the new numbers point to an increasing number of students willing to admit when they cannot handle their problems all by themselves. Universities are responsible for making counseling and treatment available to students, but that is all; some responsibility must remain with the student to seek help when necessary. Thankfully, this study shows students are beginning to do so.
The study discovered that the percentage of students treated for depression and suicidal tendencies doubled from 1989 to 2001. In addition, students with problems related to stress, anxiety, grief and sexual assault also rose, while typical issues such as homesickness and career choices remained prevalent.
Experts point to the growing pressures placed on college students seeking academic and professional success as a cause of the problems for which students seek treatment. Since universities are often the source of that stress, they should be responsible for providing the necessary support and distributing information for students in need of counseling.
Pressure from classes has always been a burden for students. Heavy workloads and the need to gain acceptance to prestigious graduate schools force students to retire to their dorms and isolated corners in libraries, both environments conducive to the growth of greater stress and the onset of depression.
Students are at a disadvantage from the start. The college acceptance process creates much wear and tear on students, especially those striving to reach the Ivy Leagues. According to Doris Bertocci, a social worker at Columbia University's counseling center, "Our impression has been that by the time students get to Columbia, many of them have had their emotional needs neglected by a lack of access to adequate mental health services."
Columbia University's counseling center reported a 40 percent increase in the use of facilities since the 1994-95 academic year. In effect, the staff has doubled, with the center both extending its hours and setting up new offices in the dormitories.
Making services easily available to students is key to tackling this situation. Students with intense psychological problems cannot afford to wait weeks for an appointment, and colleges need to recognize the urgency of this need, especially when taking into account the rise in psychiatric hospitalizations and suicide rates.
Robert Portnoy, director of counseling and psychological services at the University of Nebraska, told The New York Times that an average of 15 to 20 students are hospitalized each semester, figures which are five times greater than a decade ago. In addition, the 2002 national survey reported a total of 116 suicides at 55 colleges. Only 20 of the students who committed suicide had met with college counselors.
While colleges should be responsible for offering psychiatric services, they should not be held accountable for psychiatric hospitalizations and suicides. Since most college students are over the age of 18, psychologists and other doctors have a duty to maintain doctor-patient confidentiality and cannot inform parents of their children's troubles unless the students give them the authorization to do so.
While UB's services have not come under fire in any way and are meeting the needs of the student body, The Spectrum noted a few improvements that could be made to increase the awareness and accessibility of the counseling programs offered.
UB Counseling Services, located at 120 Richmond Quadrangle, is centralized within the Ellicott Complex on North Campus. Naturally, students residing in the complex's residence halls are the most informed regarding counseling opportunities. Since UB is primarily a commuter college, however, a greater effort should be made to provide information to students not residing in the university residence halls or apartments. This can be achieved by mailing information to students during the middle of each semester, when students are reaching peak levels of stress due to midterms and the final exams that follow.
With the increase of psychological problems on the rise, an increase of services and information is the best way to bring
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
