College can be an exciting time for many with the promise of new experiences for students. As both campus administrators and policymakers grapple with the ongoing mental health crisis, the evidence increasingly points toward prevention as a critical component of any sustainable solution. Emerging research shows that comprehensive approaches combining clinical services, peer support, and resilience training consistently produce the strongest outcomes for student wellbeing. The mental health challenges facing today’s students demand solutions that match the scale of the problem. With counseling centers overwhelmed nationwide, the most pragmatic response involves equipping the broader campus ecosystem with mental health knowledge. While clinical services remain essential and deserve robust funding, wellness and community-building programs often don’t receive the attention or resources they need.
What is Mental Health Advice?
What some colleges do well is free, brief therapy. But one of my clients called me, crying, because she couldn’t even find the campus counseling center. A one-to-one intervention can be expertly timed, but how do we take care of a whole cohort? Campus mental health is a critical investment at an urgent time. Bright, inviting signs for mental health help and non-judgmental support are pasted on bathroom stalls and along the walkways.
Peer mentoring and learning
This aligns with findings by Yıldırım and Tanrıverdi , who demonstrated that social support significantly predicted higher resilience, which Resources for student parents and pregnant students then mediated increases in life satisfaction among college students. This research explores the connections among social support, well-being, and mental health in college students, focusing on measurement approaches, determinants of well-being, and the impact social support has on students’ psychological health and overall wellness. This systematic review integrates recent empirical studies to examine the impact of social support on college students’ academic success, social integration, and mental health. Existing studies indicate that having good social support helps university students feel like they belong, manage challenging situations more efficiently, and become stronger emotionally, ultimately boosting their mental health and overall well-being.
- It is monitored by licensed and registered mental health practitioners.
- If you are in crisis, or you know someone who is, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or dial 911 in case of emergency.
- During the four-week program students work in small groups with the support of peer leaders or faculty guides to explore themes including
- Three out of four students recently surveyed by student telehealth provider TimelyMD said COVID’s impact on the quality of their education has worsened their mental health.
However, peer-led support groups specifically targeting students with mental health difficulties were seen as especially promising due to the high take-up by students struggling with their mental health (Pointon-Haas et al., 2023). Firstly, a recent systematic review found that peer mentoring and peer learning resulted in reduced anxiety and stress among students. Research consistently shows that peer support interventions can improve mental health and wellbeing among students, though the specific outcomes can vary based on the type and structure of the support provided (Pointon-Haas et al., 2023). Given the unique mental health challenges faced by students, research into the efficacy of peer support is growing. In contrast, peer support programs for students result in significant increases in mental wellbeing, particularly for those experiencing anxiety and depression (Byrom, 2018).
She hopes to see other new staff who specialize in supporting groups such as international students and transfers. A lack of it could account for why some students avoid pursuing support or don’t connect with counselors. Presidents, says Sontag-Padilla, must go beyond using a mental health catchphrase in an email once a semester, but rather provide opportunities for students to constructively voice concerns and experiences.
If you’re worried about your safety or someone else’s due to alcohol or drug use, there are people who can help you stay safe, talk things through, or connect you to care. If you or someone else feels overwhelmed, unsafe, or unable to cope, this is a mental health crisis. Free, safe and anonymous mental health and wellbeing support.
If you are in immediate danger or seriously injured, you can contact the emergency services on 999 (or 112 from a mobile phone) or the King’s Security Team. Depending on where you are, nourishing people may be in short supply, so it is worth the investment to proactively find them. Some people, of course, do not fit neatly into either of these two categories—instead, they coalesce between nourishing and non-nourishing, depending on the circumstances. Nourishing people are people with whom interactions are positive and healthy. There are nourishing and non-nourishing people in this world. Students, therefore, must learn how to relate to people.