Why College Students Need Therapy During The Pandemic

When the pandemic first started in March of 2020 life became full of uncertainties for plenty around the world. Studies are showing that this pandemic is taking a huge toll on the mental health of college students in the U.S. Prior to the pandemic studies showed that many college students struggled with anxiety, depression and other mental health issues but now it is rising at an alarming rate. New anxieties surrounding the virus are surfacing amongst college students and therapy services on college campuses are needed now more than ever. 

According to the United States National Library of Medicine, college students are prone to struggle with several disorders during their time of enrollment. The highest disorder being nicotine vape dependence found in 22% of college students. 9% of college students meet the criteria of having an alcohol use disorder, and 11.9% of college students meet the criteria of having an anxiety disorder. These disorders connect to the stress students face when making the transition from high school to college. Factors including pressure to succeed in college, poor dietary habits, financial distress, and personal and social relationships can all cause these disorders in college students. Now that college students are facing these already existing factors during a pandemic, circumstances like lack of routine, uncertainty of health, and decrease in social support are adding to the increasing rates of the disorders.

The Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH) collected data from over 45,000 college students across the country that pursued professional counseling services in 2020. According to their research, 33% of  these students reported that the reason they seeked this help was due to COVID-19 related events. 65% percent of these students reported that their mental health was heavily affected by COVID-19 related events, with another 60% percent feeling loss of motivation, loneliness and isolation. These statistics prove that the pandemic has added stress to the lives of college students in the country, as well as provide incentive of why therapy is important for college students. Therapy can improve self esteem, help one make healthier life choices, promote the outlook of life and relationships, as well as provide strategies to cope with stress and anxiety. 

Most colleges and universities offer free therapy and counseling services through the school’s tuition, which means students that are struggling with mental health can get the help they may need with no extra costs. Information about these services can be accessed through counseling service buildings on their campus or through the school’s health center. Seeking therapy can seem like an intimidating experience, but therapists on school campuses are trained to be just as professional and helpful as any other therapists off campus. Therapy can be well worth fitting into a college school schedule, especially if a student is struggling with their mental health!