Can Colleges Keep Up With Students' Mental Health Needs?

Record numbers of college students are seeking help for such mental health conditions as anxiety and depression and schools are struggling to offer adequate help, according to a recent article on Time.com. 

In fact, an American College Health Association (ACHA) survey of 63,0000 students at 92 schools found that 40 percent of students felt so depressed the prior year that it was “difficult for them to function” and 61 percent said they felt “overwhelming anxiety.” 

What’s more, visits to on-campus counseling centers have increased by roughly 30 percent, between 2009 and 2015, according to a report by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH). 

The average university has one professional counselor for every 1,737 students — that’s less than one therapist for every 1,000 to 1,500 students, according to Time.com. And while colleges across the country are stepping up to meet these growing demands, many college counselors remain overwhelmed and students continue to endure long waits for mental health treatment, notes Time.com.

So what’s the solution? Here’s a look at what a few universities are doing: 

• UCLA began offering free mental health screenings to all incoming freshman.
• Virginia Tech University opened several satellite counseling clinics.
• Ohio State University launched a counseling mobile app, which allows students to make an appointment, access breathing exercises and contact the clinic in case of an emergency. 
• Pennsylvania State University allocated roughly $700,000 in additional funding for counseling and psychological services in 2017.

Still, on average, universities haven’t been able to provide long-term treatment services like recurring appointments and specialized counseling, noted the ACHA survey. “That means that students will be able to get that first appointment when they’re in high distress, but they may not be able to get ongoing treatment after the fact,” Ben Locke, Penn State’s counseling director and head of the CCMH, told Time.com. “And that is a problem.”

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

When young adults are dealing with a coexisting mental health issue, the rehabilitation process requires specialized dual-diagnosis expertise. Our peer-based program provides the safety and support you need to succeed in school and at sobriety. To learn more about our sobriety college, call today: 866-930-4673.

Severe Anxiety Among Teens at All-Time High

Anxiety disorder is of growing concern on college campuses – surpassing depression as the most common reason students seek counseling services, according to The New York Times – and the numbers are increasingly climbing when it comes to teens. 

According to recent data from the American College Health Association’s 2016 survey, 62 percent of undergraduate students reported “overwhelming anxiety.” This was up from 50 percent in 2011. And 41 percent of students said they felt overwhelmed; a significant increase from 29 percent in 2010.

Occasional anxiety – before taking a test or making an important decision, for example – is a normal part of life. However, when anxiety worsens and interferes with school and job performance, social activities or friends and family, it could signal an anxiety disorder, which requires professional help.

Spotting the Signs of Anxiety Disorder
Sadly, 80 percent of kids with a diagnosable anxiety disorder are not getting treatment, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). Even if you don’t personally experience anxiety, your roommate or friend may need help. Here are a few symptoms to watch out for:

• Excessive worry
• Sleep disturbance (difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless, unsatisfying sleep)
• Irrational fears
• Muscle tension
• Chronic indigestion
• Panic attacks
• Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge
• Being easily fatigued
• Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank
• Irritability

About Sobriety College at Hope Academy

If you are or someone you love is a college student struggling with a mental illness and substance use disorder, Hope Academy may be the ideal rehab program for you. Our peer-based rehab program provides the safety and support you need to succeed in school and at sobriety. We even provide transportation to and from the center, school, and sober activities. To learn more about our college home and sobriety program, call today: 866-930-4673.

First-Semester Stress: Coping With Anxiety Disorder at College

For some students, the first few weeks of the new school year are exciting. It’s a time to meet new friends, start new classes, and get back into the swing of things. But for people with anxiety disorders, the new school year can bring upon feelings of constant worry and fear. And this can happen before classes begin or well into the first half of the school year. 

Tips for Tackling Anxiety

Your first step in managing this back-to-school anxiety is to remind yourself that you’re not alone. According to Mental Health America (MHA), more than 21 percent of U.S. adults between ages 18 and 64 will have diagnosable anxiety disorders in a given year. To put things in perspective: That’s more than the number of people who subscribed to Netflix in 2015, notes MHA. 

Here’s a summary of some of MHA's go-to strategies for managing anxiety disorder. 

• Reach out to someone you trust. Let them know that your anxiety has gotten the best of you and that you need support. That may mean asking them to talk you through it over the phone or to come over and keep you company while you work on putting your mind at ease. 
• Get physical. Take a brisk walk, run up and down some stairs or do a few jumping jacks. Give your body a way to use up some of the nervous energy. 
• Find a healthy distraction. Play scrabble on your smartphone or try an adult coloring book. Repetitive actions can have a calming effect similar to meditation.
• Breathe deeply. Try this technique: Lie on your back and breathe in through your nose, watching your belly rise as you inhale. Hold your breath for a few seconds then exhale deeply through your mouth, watching your belly fall as you exhale. Repeat until you feel yourself relax. 
• Focus on things you can control. Organize your desk, write down your weekly to-do list, pick out your clothes for the week – taking care of small tasks can help empower you to take control of your anxiety. 
• Avoid the shame game. Telling yourself that you’re being unreasonable will only further fuel your anxiety. It’s okay to feel anxious and stressed and scared – but do your best to accept those feelings and then take action to feel better. 

Help for Anxiety Disorder and Addiction
If you're struggling with a dual diagnosis or substance abuse disorder, embrace a new beginning at Hope Academy Rehab. When you trust us with your recovery, you don’t have to leave college behind or put career preparation on hold. We offer vocational training, college prep, and sobriety college options that allow you to pursue your dreams while you get clean. Call today: 866-930-4673.