Most former students would agree that university is undoubtedly one of the more stressful periods of life. Everything seems up in the air, with no tangible promise of a secure future and the competition to do well in order to get a good job is almost palpable in many fields of study. Students are forced to balance education, work, family and friends at an age where the mental capacity to do so may not be fully developed. Stress counseling should be made mandatory in universities for every student at least once a semester.
As the number of students with anxiety and depressive disorders rises, making it almost a normal occurrence, so does a certain ignorance which leads many to believe that stress is an immutable part of college life. Stress often leads to drug abuse, obesity, health problems and an overall negative impact on one’s emotional state as well as one’s educational progression. Implementing a framework in which every student has the opportunity and the encouragement to be able to talk about their issues and work through them with a licensed professional (i.e. making it compulsory) will ensure a healthier campus and happier students.
Since 11 percent of adolescents have depressive disorders by the age of 18, the frightening progression is almost inevitable once an individual delves into a more serious and mentally taxing environment such as university. Depressive and anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in the United States, and more than one in 10 Americans take antidepressants. Seeking consistent counseling and cognitive therapy, however, is less frequent. Treatment for anxiety and depressive disorders can not be handled solely with medicine. Studies have shown that although a prescription can help dull symptoms, patients that also undergo therapy are less likely to have recurrences of their debilitating anxiety or depression.
If at least one counseling session was made mandatory for each student throughout the semester, individuals who might have never taken the opportunity to talk about their issues with a professional and get advice on how to handle one’s stress would finally be able to see the merits of this sort of therapy. There is a wrongful stigma that surrounds psychiatric care such as counseling which labels those who utilize it as “crazy” or unable to deal with their own problems. This could not be further from the truth. If each student was — albeit with a little push at first — able to take advantage of the beneficial mental health services many universities offer, the number of students suffering from anxiety and depressive disorders would undoubtedly decrease.