If you or your child is starting college for the first time, you need to be aware of college and mental health issues that could very easily arise during that first year. Although it is not well documented, or widely discussed, many first year college students will suffer mentally, and many will never recover.
The Stress of Being Away from Home
The first issue at hand is the stress of being away from home. If you are attending a local college, and you will be living at home, this does not apply to you. However, if you are attending a college far from home, or you are attending a local college and moving into a dormitory or an apartment, this issue is one that you may struggle with.
On top of starting college – which is much more demanding than high school – meeting new people, getting involved in new activities, and adjusting to new schedules and responsibilities, you now also have to adjust to living ‘on your own’ where nobody is making your decisions for you. If you are not well prepared for this, it can become overwhelming.
Competitive Issues
College is much more competitive than high school is. There is competition in sports, in classes, and even in organizations and extra-curricular activities. If you are not a naturally competitive person, this could become an issue. This could also become an issue if you take competition too seriously, or allow it to rule all aspects of your life.
The Stress of Fitting In
You may have been a star at your high school, but now you are in a new world, and there are stars that are shining more brightly than you are. If you were not overly popular in high school, this actually works in your favor. If you were popular in high school however, and you are starting a college away from the majority of your friends, you may be in for a bit of a shock. Building new relationships can take time and effort.
All of these things combined can be detrimental to your mental health, but this is something that most people do not talk about. Thankfully, there is help to be had. Visit your guidance counselor at your school, or the department head for your major to inquire about mental health services. Many colleges have their own separate mental health service departments that you should check out as well – even if you don’t feel like you need any support from these services.
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