College is a time that many young people anticipate. Even when they were in high school or even junior high, many are already waiting for that time when they move from their homes and onto a college campus and welcome new experiences. College often is a means to freedom for many students who have been bogged down by strict rules while living at home.
But not every experience in college is something that is memorable. While college certainly brings many new and wonderful experiences for students, there are also those who go through difficulty during their college life. Many students become overwhelmed by all the pressures of getting good grades and maintaining a balanced social life.
Studies have shown that many college students feel stressed and many of them experience the health concerns listed below.
- Depression – depression is said to be the foremost reason why there are students who dropout of school. In 2013, as many as more than 35% of college students have claimed that they have felt depressed. Depression is when you feel detached from the world and severe depression can really interfere with your life, making it difficult to study, go out, or even sleep and eat. It’s important to know what the symptoms are so that students can get the help they need because when depression is left untreated, it can lead to something as serious as suicide. Symptoms may be different for each person but they may include things such as not being able to sleep and feeling fatigued and without energy most of the time. If there is a change in their appetite or weight, it can also be another sign. There are many more signs and you can get yourself educated so that you can detect if you or any of your friends may need to talk with a professional.
- Anxiety – it is inevitable that stress of anxiety will be a part of everyone’s life, whether you are a student or not, but there are cases when having an anxiety disorder gets so bad that you are no longer able to function normally. Some believe that it is normal for them to experience anxiety, that’s why two-thirds of people with anxiety disorders are actually not able to get the help that they need. One thing you can watch out for is the brief flashes of anxiety and they become obsessive behavior where you become overwhelmed with fear. When this happens too often, it is time to get help.
- Alcohol Addiction – partying and drinking alcohol seems to be a rite of passage for many college students. While there is nothing wrong with drinking occasionally, there are some who take it to the extreme and begin to cope with the difficulties of college life by turning to alcohol. Binge drinking is one way to go about it, where you consume a lot of alcohol in a short period of time. It may not be addiction yet, but binge drinking can lead to alcohol addiction. If you tend to do this, it is better to nip it as early as now so that it will not get worse.