据A.World Health Organization global survey,超过三分之一的大学一年级的students are impacted by mental health struggles.¹这些心理健康问题可以包括 - 但不仅限于严重的考虑或试用，抑郁，饮食和焦虑症。尽管这些问题的普遍性，但许多斗争的学生不寻求治疗。

“Over the years, I’ve seen an increase in students dealing with—and reporting to me—mental health struggles,” affirmsKaren Southall Watts, a college instructor who has also spent time working on a suicide hotline and as a counselor in a domestic violence program. While alarming, increases in the number of mental health issues on college campuses, she poses, isn’t all bad news.

“Higher [reported] numbers reflect a bit of the greater acceptance that mental health is a normal, everyday, everybody kind of issue, and students are more comfortable telling us they need assistance,” Watts explains. As the stigma surrounding mental illness continues to lift, students are becoming more inclined to seek help while the resources available to them continue to multiply.

We dug into the statistics and spoke with a handful of experts on mental health to learn more about why college students are susceptible to mental illness and what they can do to preserve their psychological well-being. Read on to learn more about this burgeoning phenomenon.

大学生精神疾病的真相

A 2017 survey from theAssociation for University and College Counseling Directorsrevealed that today’s college population is primarily dealing with three major mental health conditions: anxiety, stress and depression.²

Anxiety, depression and panic attacks are sending college students to mental health clinics in record numbers. In fact, the APA reports that counseling centers have seen a增加了30％in college students seeking support between the 2009-10 and 2014-15 academic years.³虽然这可能看起来像令人震惊的跳跃，但APA表明这些增加可能归因于旨在减少报告心理健康问题的耻辱的公共教育活动。这意味着我们可能只是更诚实地看着心理健康问题而不是过去。

The APA reports that among surveyed students, 61 percent reportedly sought help coping with anxiety. Forty-nine percent reported struggling with depression, 45 percent with stress, 28 percent with academic performance and 27 percent with relationship problems.³

Watts sees students like this regularly. “Some of the issues I see almost every academic quarter include students who have—both treated or untreated—anxiety or depression, students with PTSD, students with ‘everyday stress’ that becomes overwhelming and students experiencing substance abuse or addiction,” she says.

Cody Higgs是一位专门与精神健康斗争斗争的年轻女性专门合作的执照专业顾问，解释说，大学对学生来说是一个非常独特的体验。“课程，项目和考试的压力可能会压倒并有助于焦虑，”他解释道。“经常，这是大学生在我的办公室出现的时候。压力太大，支持太少，[他们有]不知道在哪里转。“

伍德伯里大学授权婚姻和家庭治疗师和咨询服务辅导服务主任，Stevon Lewis, acknowledges the benefit of students entering college with more familiarity with mental health services. Many, he says, have been in treatment prior to their arrival at college.

But amidst the wave of resources available to them, students are also entering into some monumental new experiences, which can exacerbate existing mental health struggles. “Many students are entering college devoid of coping skills to assist them with navigating and managing the rigors of collegiate life,” he says. “This often leaves them unable to thrive academically and, in my experience, [they] express suicidal ideation more frequently.”

While it’s clear that college mental health is of utmost importance, what can be done to help prevent or overcome these struggles when they surface? We’ve coupled the advice from our experts with recommendations from theNational Alliance on Mental Illness(NAMI) to formulate four actionable tips to preserve your mental well-being while in college.⁴

4 tips to help support your mental health in college

你现在意识到大学心理健康斗争是非常真实的。知道这一点可以帮助您采取一些主动的步骤来避免任何潜在的障碍。考虑以下建议。

1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle

你知道吗,最有益的事情之一s you can do for your mental health is to tend to your physical health? The unfamiliar challenge of embarking on a new experience in tandem with the rigor of college classes can result in students deprioritizing their health.

According to NAMI, exercising, eating a balanced diet and getting at least seven hours of sleep will give you more energy, help you focus better and keep you emotionally resilient.⁴不要忘记也会花时间和朋友和家人一起度过或简单地放松 - 在涉及到你的心理健康方面有一点自我护理可以走很长的路要走。

2. Avoid self-medicating

When attempting to cope with mounting stress, the short-term reprieve seemingly offered by alcohol and other substances may be alluring. But those struggling with mental illness may find that substances can bring about their own mental health risks, such as exacerbating things like anxiety and depression.

NAMI suggests that those who are dealing with mental health issues avoid or at least limit their consumption of alcohol or other substances.⁴When searching for ways to unwind, you may find it more productive to spend your time socializing with friends, experiencing new activities in your city or indulging in a relaxing hobby like cooking or reading.

3. Know when it’s time to ask for help

A huge part of tending to your mental health is understanding the warning signs that may signify it’s time to seek some external help, whether that be reaching out to a professor, arranging an appointment with a counselor or even confiding in a confidant for support.

景点的标志可能包括以下内容：

• Difficulty concentrating
• 失去能量
• 鲁莽的行为
• Mood swings
• Eating changes
• 在睡觉模式中转移
• Withdrawal
• Aggression
• 易怒
• General loss of interest

NAMI suggests keeping a short, daily record of your symptoms. This can help ensure that you notice if or when things worsen.⁴

4. Learn more about mental illness

Finally, one of the most effective things you can do is to arm yourself with ample knowledge related to mental health and mental illness. Look into resources offered by your school—you may be able to connect with a counselor or a support group through that venue.

You can also seek outNAMI资源或附属公司in your local community.⁴And you can even use your college platform to your advantage by enrolling in courses related to psychology, social work or counseling to learn more about the inner workings of the things you may be experiencing.

Take control of your mental health in college

As you embark upon your college experience, the last thing you want is to be held back by mental health struggles that feel out of your control. But that’s easier said than done when immersed in a new and sometimes stressful environment in which you’re expected to perform well.

The information above has hopefully equipped you to take a few steps toward taking charge of your mental health. While stress is only one factor influencing your overall mental health, it doesn’t hurt to seek out strategies for managing it. Consider pursuing some of the methods we’ve outlined in our article “7救援您保持冷静，冷静和收集的减轻活动“帮助保持压力检查。

¹American Psychological Association, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, WHO World Mental Health Surveys International College Student Project: Prevalence and Distribution of Mental Disorders [accessed February 5, 2019]https://www.apa.org/images/abn-abn0000362_tcm7-245182.pdf
²Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors, AUCCCD Annual Survey 2016-2017 [accessed February 5, 2019]https://www.aucccd.org/assets/documents/Governance/2017%20aucccd%20survey-public-apr26.pdf
³American Psychological Association, By the Numbers: Stress on Campus [accessed February 5, 2019]https://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/09/numbers
⁴全国对精神疾病的联盟，在学院管理心理健康状况[2019年2月5日访问]https://www.nami.org/find-support/teens-young-adults/ managing-a-mental-health-condition-in-college.