College Student’s

Mental Health

u there?

Here.

can we talk?

Sure. What’s Up?

Yea I have a ton of HUGE tests this week.

…i cant stand my life anymore… i never go to class, i feel like i can’t keep up…I am so outta control…

yea… i just need to go c my shrink again. I stopped taking my xanex two weeks ago, and i am really worried about school.

That sucks! Are you going to be okay?

i don’t have any tests. or papers. or a job anymore… or money… i am just worried.

my grandma died last week. but I barely knew her.

Why did you stop taking your medications?

i don’t have any money anymore…

Oh. Then how’d you have that huge party last Sat. at your apt?

I haven’t seen you in class all week.

well, that was the last of my fundage, and you know, alcohol is a staple in college, right?

i know but i don’t know why???

Man GrLe you don’t seem like your normal self these days

i know…

i just dont want to leave my bed anymore and i eat all day long…

Have you talked with anyone about this yet?

Like a counselor?! I’m not CrAzY!!!

Well… maybe you could talk to Matt the RA dude, he seems like a cool guy?

‘common sNaUgHtyGrLe I will go with you to talk with RA Matt.

yea… maybe.

Idk. i am sure tomorrow I’ll be fine… peachy keen, you know?

I think you should. It couldn’t hurt?

ok but don’t tell my roommates. I don’t want them to think i am crazy too! ;)

Disorder Prevalence

• Dr. Ronald Kessler from Harvard University found that 37% of people aged 15-24 years old have a diagnosable mental illness.

Resident Assistants = Doctors

Mental Health Disorders

Anxiety Disorders

Mood Disorders

Personality Disorders

Learning Disorders

Eating Disorders

“…health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior associated with distress and/or impaired functioning.”

Disorder Prevalence

• Eating disorders affect 5-10 million women and 1 million men, with the highest rates occurring in college-aged women.

• Suicide was the third leading cause of death for those aged 15-24, and the second leading killer in the college population in 1998.

• More than 30% of college freshman report feeling overwhelmed a great deal of the time. About 38% of college women report feeling frequently overwhelmed.

Common Mental Disorders• Major Depressive Disorder: 9.9 million

• Dysthymic Disorder: 10.9 million

• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: 5.5 million

• Social Phobia: 5.3 million

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder: 4.0 million

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: 3.3 million

• Panic Disorder: 2.4 million

• Bipolar Disorder: 2.3 million

• Schizophrenia: 2.2 million

Anxiety Disorders

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

• Panic Disorder

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• Social Phobia (or Social Anxiety Disorder)

Women are five times as likely to have anxiety disorders.

Panic Attacks

• …a discrete period in which there is the sudden onset of intense apprehension, fearfulness, or terror, often associated with feelings of impending doom. During these attacks, symptoms such as shortness of breath, palpitations, chest pain, or discomfort, choking or smothering sensations, and fear of “going crazy” or losing control are present.

Mood Disorders

• Major Depressive Disorder

• Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression)

• Cyclothymic Disorder

• Dysthymic Disorder

Mood DisordersSymptoms to be on the lookout for a major depressive

episode include:

• Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day

• Loss of pleasure or interest in activities

• Weight loss or gain / decrease or increase in appetite

• Insomnia or hypersomnia everyday

• Feelings of worthlessness / excessive or inappropriate guilt

• Inability to think or concentrate / indecisiveness

• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide ideation

Mood DisordersSymptoms to be on the lookout for a manic episode include:

• Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity

• Decreased need for sleep

• More talkative than usual

• Flight of ideas or racing thoughts

• Distractibility

• Increased goal-directed activity

• Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that can have negative consequences

Common Medications

Disorder Generic Name Brand Name Depression Citalopram Celexa 

Fluoxetine Prozac Paroxetine Paxol Sertraline Zoloft 

Bipolar Disorder Lithium Carbonate Eskalith, Lithotabs Bupropion Wellbutrin, Zyban Fluvoxamine Luvox Valproic Acid Depakote 

Anxiety Alpraozolam Xanax Diazepam Valium

Personality Disorders

• Paranoid Personality Disorder • Schizoid Personality Disorder • Schizotypal Personality Disorder • Antisocial Personality Disorder • Borderline Personality Disorder • Histrionic Personality Disorder • Narcissistic Personality Disorder • Avoidant Personality Disorder • Dependent Personality Disorder

• Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

Personality Disorders

• 30.8 Million American adults (14.8%) meet standard criteria for (at least) one personality disorder.

Learning Disorders

• Dyslexia

• Dyscalculia

• Dysgraphia

• Attention Deficit Disorder

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

• Two-thirds of high school graduates with learning disabilities were rated "not qualified" to enter a four-year college.

• Only 13% of students with learning disabilities have attended a 4-year post-secondary school program within two years of leaving high school.

Eating Disorders

ANOREXIA NERVOSA

BULIMIA NERVOSA

BINGE EATING

• 8 million Americans suffer from anorexia or bulimia.• All eating disorders are psychological disorders,

which can be treated effectively through psychological, nutritional and medical care.

• The weight loss industry nets over 33 BILLION dollars per year.

• 11% of female college students suffer from bulimia.• Most people who have an eating disorder have very

low self-esteem and look to others for approval. Food and their weight are the few things they feel that they can control in their lives.

• Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychological disease.

• 10% of teenagers with an eating disorder are males.

Common Myths• Myth #1: Psychiatric disorders are not true

medical illnesses like heart disease and diabetes. People who have a mental illness are just "crazy."

• Myth #2: People with a severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia, are usually dangerous and violent.

• Myth #3: Mental illness is the result of bad parenting.

Common Myths

• Myth #4: Depression results from a personality weakness or character flaw, and people who are depressed could just snap out of it if they tried hard enough.

• Myth #5: Schizophrenia means split personality, and there is no way to control it.

• Myth #6: Depression is a normal part of the aging process.

Common Myths

• Myth #7: Depression and other illnesses, such as anxiety disorders, do not affect children or adolescents. Any problems they have are just a part of growing up.

• Myth #8: If you have a mental illness, you can will it away. Being treated for a psychiatric disorder means an individual has in some way "failed" or is weak.

• Myth #9: Addiction is a lifestyle choice and shows a lack of willpower. People with a substance abuse problem are morally weak or "bad".

• Myth #10: Mental illness only affects people in rich countries.

Mental Health Discussion Topic Movies

• AS GOOD AS IT GETS                          • A BEAUTIFUL MIND              • BENNY AND JOON                              • A CLOCKWORK

ORANGE                          • COBB                                        • CONSPIRACY THEORY                           • A DEADLY SECRET: THE ROBERT

BIERER STORY     • ELLING                                      • FALLING DOWN                                • FORREST GUMP                                • GIRL INTERRUPTED                            • GOOD WILL HUNTING                           

• THE HOURS                  

• IRIS                                  

• K-PAX                                 

• MUMFORD                               

• NIXON                                  

• OF MICE AND MEN                       

• THE OTHER SISTER                      

• RAIN MAN                              

• THE SHINING                           

• THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS              

• SILENT FALL                           

• THE SIXTH SENSE                       

• SLING BLADE               • UNITED STATES OF LELAND                            

Campus Resources

- reader/taping services- test accommodations- tutor referral- note taker supplies and copy services- advocacy and counseling- faculty/staff consultation- resource materials- referral to community agencies- sign language services- temporary disability parking- group educational presentations- facilitation of adaptive equipment requests- orientation presentations

• Depression Questionnaire

• Anxiety Information

What Can I Do When Referring to the Counseling Center Doesn’t Fit?

• Educate Everyone

• Try Not to Label

• Talk to your supervisor

• Know Your Student Code

• Refer to Resources

• Provide Students with Resources

Resources

• National Mental Health Association: www.nmha.org

• Anxiety Disorders Association of America: www.adaa.org

• The Anxiety-Panic Internet Resource: www.algy.com/anxiety/index.shtml

• Panic Anxiety Education Management Services: www.paems.com.au/index.html

• Anxiety/Panic Attack Resource Site: www.anxietypanic.com

• Freedom From Fear: www.freedomfromfear.com

• National Anxiety Foundation: http://lexington-on-line.com/naf.html

• National Institute of Mental Health: www.nimh.nih.gov

• Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation: www.ocfoundation.org

Resources

National Institute of Mental Health

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/nimhhome/index.cfm

Housing Pro- Scott M. Helfrich, M.S. Area Coordinator, Bloomsburg

www.reslife.net

http://www.borderlinepersonalitytoday.com/main/myths.htm

http://www.reslife.net/assets/docs/eating_disorders.doc

Submitted by Christina Marie Clark,

Area Coordinator, University of Southern

Indiana