This should be obvious. Mental illness occurs in all age groups. Children, teenagers, and young adults are not immune. This is why I think that this article about mental illness in college is important. Here is the link: http://dmreg.co/1GvCZHt As I read this this article, it really brought me back. In college, I made every effort to obtain help. College was kind of difficult for me. I thought I had escaped from Maxine. But I was really struggling. A young woman who was very uncomfortable socially and struggling with very low self-esteem, I over-compensated. I tried to fit in. And that meant I partied too much. I didn't take my studies seriously. And I experienced considerable anxiety and depression. My entire focus in college was to find a boyfriend. I felt that having a man in my life meant that I was 'normal' and just as good as my peers. Whatever that means. I sought out therapy because even at that young age, I was pretty sure that I needed the help. Eventually, I found a relationship. I met my future husband. Once I found that relationship, things seemed to settle down. My party days decreased. I focused on my studies. And of course, I felt better about myself because of the fact that someone loved me. As a couple, we seemed to hide out in each other. I felt safer because I didn't have to prove myself to him. There really was a period in which the relationship seemed enough to hold my 'demons' at bay. (Of course, that didn't last. We married and then finally divorced.)
So, I truly have some empathy for young people struggling with mental illness in college. You would think that having an opportunity to begin your life in such an important way would be a positive thing. Not everybody has the chance to go to college. But the reality is that college is a huge stressor. College, for many people, is the first time that they have an opportunity to practice being an adult. Many are living away from family and friends for the first time in their life. In addition, the school work may be much more difficult and is meant to stretch the student to think in different ways. If you are already struggling, it seems like those kinds of experiences and demands are almost a set-up for the student to fail. And for many it is. At the time that I attended college, I was dangerously close to flunking out at times. And because I knew that I could do better, I looked for counseling. I was put into a group for therapy. And while it didn't make a whole lot of difference for me over the long-term, it did enable me to maintain long enough to get through the initial college crisis. I ended my college career with the grades I knew I was capable of.
So, what is available for our young today? I'm not sure. I think that colleges make some effort to cover those dealing with mental illness. But as this article points out, more assistance is needed. I love the practical and proactive approach of this article. If a young person is living with mental illness prior to going away to college, there may be a need to connect to the services that the college offers before they even start. If we start dealing with the symptoms of mental illness the same way that we deal with the symptoms of physical illness, what might happen? Could we save lives? Could we enable our young to achieve their potential in spite of mental illness? I believe we could. And I love the sense of hope in this article. What do you think? Let's talk!
So, I truly have some empathy for young people struggling with mental illness in college. You would think that having an opportunity to begin your life in such an important way would be a positive thing. Not everybody has the chance to go to college. But the reality is that college is a huge stressor. College, for many people, is the first time that they have an opportunity to practice being an adult. Many are living away from family and friends for the first time in their life. In addition, the school work may be much more difficult and is meant to stretch the student to think in different ways. If you are already struggling, it seems like those kinds of experiences and demands are almost a set-up for the student to fail. And for many it is. At the time that I attended college, I was dangerously close to flunking out at times. And because I knew that I could do better, I looked for counseling. I was put into a group for therapy. And while it didn't make a whole lot of difference for me over the long-term, it did enable me to maintain long enough to get through the initial college crisis. I ended my college career with the grades I knew I was capable of.
So, what is available for our young today? I'm not sure. I think that colleges make some effort to cover those dealing with mental illness. But as this article points out, more assistance is needed. I love the practical and proactive approach of this article. If a young person is living with mental illness prior to going away to college, there may be a need to connect to the services that the college offers before they even start. If we start dealing with the symptoms of mental illness the same way that we deal with the symptoms of physical illness, what might happen? Could we save lives? Could we enable our young to achieve their potential in spite of mental illness? I believe we could. And I love the sense of hope in this article. What do you think? Let's talk!
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