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Crisis on Campus: Mental Health

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Crisis on Campus: Mental Health Illness

1 in 5 U.S. adults that experience mental illness in a year
That’s 43.8 million, or 18.5% of population

But what about students in the high-stress world of universities?

Stressed Out Students

20.2 million: number of students in American colleges, 2015
1 in 4: estimated number of students with diagnosable mental health problems
That’s 5 million students.
40%: percentage of those students who will not seek help

Starting Out Stressed

75%: percent of lifetime cases of mental health conditions begin by age 24
For persons age 18-44: Mood disorders [including major depression, dysthymic disorder and bipolar disorder] are 3rd most common cause of hospitalization in U.S
95%: of on campus counseling centers surveyed said students with psychological problems is a growing concern.

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How Are Students Feeling?*

86.4% – overwhelmed by all they had to do
32.6% – So depressed that it was difficult to function
54.0% – Felt overwhelming anxiety
8.1% – Seriously considered suicide

Suicide is 2nd leading cause of death for persons aged 15-34
Suicide Rate for persons aged 15 – 24:
2007: 9.6 per 100,000
2013: 11.1 per 100,000
Suicide rate among young adults has tripled since the 1950s

95% of people who commit suicide have a psychological disorder like depression at the time of their suicide.

Even athletes are affected**
17% – Current athletes depressed
8% – of past college athletes

Crisis Aftermath

73% – percentage of students with a mental health condition that experienced a mental health crisis on campus
34.2% – of students with a mental health condition said college did not know about their crisis.
37% – Dropout rate among students with mental health conditions (age 14-21 and older) who are served by special education.
64% – of students with a mental health condition quit school for mental health related reasons.

mental-health-mini

Sources:
*”How are students feeling?” numbers came from a 2014 study by the American College Health Association
**Depressed athletes numbers come from a study of nearly 300 current and past college athletes:
http://www.nami.org/About-NAMI/NAMI-News/Depression-Runs-High-Among-College-Athletes
https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-By-the-Numbers
http://www.acha-ncha.org/docs/ACHA-NCHA-II_ReferenceGroup_ExecutiveSummary_Spring2014.pdf
http://ccmh.psu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3058/2015/02/2014-CCMH-Annual-Report.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/suicide-datasheet-a.pdf
http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372
https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-By-the-Numbers
http://www.nami.org/About-NAMI/NAMI-News/Depression-Runs-High-Among-College-Athletes
http://www.nami.org/collegesurvey
https://www.nami.org/About-NAMI/Publications-Reports/Survey-Reports/College-Students-Speak_A-Survey-Report-on-Mental-H.pdf
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/theory-knowledge/201402/the-college-student-mental-health-crisis
http://www.adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics
http://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/top-5-mental-health-problems-facing-college-students/
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2015/05/skyhigh_college_costs_and_student_mental_health_care.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/02/education/edlife/stress-social-media-and-suicide-on-campus.html