College students face a unique set of challenges that have made the demand for mental health services on college campuses skyrocket over the last several years. Stressors like living away from home for the first time, navigating roommates, friendships, and romantic relationships, plus the demand and pressure of academics all can result in college students experiencing a variety of mental health issues. Some of these include:
- Depression (sadness, low motivation, increased desire for sleep, isolating from peers)
- Anxiety (excessive worrying, difficulty sleeping, physical symptoms, difficult concentrating)
- Avoidance (not doing assignments or other responsibilities until everything piles up and becomes overwhelming and stressful to manage)
- Conflict with family (seeing family with a new perspective, arguments about independence while at home on breaks, fighting with parents and siblings)
- Concerns about plans after graduation (getting internships, applying for jobs, taking entrance exams for graduate school)
I also work with graduate students who, in addition to the general academic pressures and social complexities of student life, may also face difficulties related to:
- Navigating relationships with their advisors and supervisors
- Structuring their time with more self-paced work
- Applying for postdocs or jobs
- Concerns about leaving the academic environment