Counseling Center Director June Payne has seen the number of students that come in and out of its doors gradually increase in past years. Nationwide, this trend has been seen during the past 20 years, she said.
According to annual surveys by the National Survey of College Counseling Center Directors, 97 percent of colleges surveyed in 2008 saw an increase in the number of students using their services.
The increase in demand is also reflected at Ball State University, where the number of student requesting services increased from 995 in the 2006-2007 school year to 1,227 in the 2008-2009 academic year, Payne said.
She said the diagnosis trends have moved from the belief of homesickness as the main issue to more specific and diagnosable mental health problems.
"We have some students that are stressed because of their academic work," she said. "Occasionally we will see an increase in the number of students that are saying at that time ‘I just can't do this because I've been depressed all semester,' but depression may have been the issue that they have not gotten treated and it's manifesting itself at finals."
Payne said another reason why students seek counseling in college is because they are getting diagnosed sooner.
"They are coming to the university already diagnosed with a particular psychological issue or problem," she said. "And once they are here, they are still dealing with it."
Freshman music education major Kourtney Harrison said she was diagnosed with severe panic disorder during her senior year in high school.
"I would have panic attacks when I was about to take tests or during class," she said.
She started to get treated during high school and has continued to get help at the Ball State Counseling Center.
"I went to the Counseling Center to get tested," she said. "They were really nice. They were calm, but showed you that they were concerned."
Payne said that more students are also seeking counseling because of the mentality behind being helped by psychologists.
"We are moving, thankfully, away from that notion that counseling has to be about severe mental health," she said. "Whether they come in to the Counseling Center, whether they talk to their family doctors or anyone else, the old idea is changing."
Payne said there are many reasons why students are experiencing more stress and anxiety. One the reasons is the kind of lifestyle students are experiencing. Students are trying to solve issues faster and do more things at the same time.
"I was talking with somebody who is working a 40-hour week, plus taking 18 credit hours," Payne said. "The demand is to get it done now on top of having less money to get it done. I think if we could help students to seriously take a look at what kinds of expectations they are having for themselves, they could deal with those stressors."
Payne said leading a more balanced life, with no extreme situations, would help students be less stressed. Paying attention to rest, relaxation and good nutrition are important in a healthy, balanced life.
"To me, it's like a major expectation to say ‘I'm going to work 48 hours on this.' Put some balance in it; there's some work, there's some relaxation, there's some rest," she said. "And I think you can do that in a course of a day, in a course of a week, in a semester or over your entire lifespan."
Although the number of students requesting services has increased, resources for the Ball State Counseling Center have not. In the Counseling Center, there are 10 senior staff members, three doctoral interns and a training program.
The staff offers individual and group sessions to help students cope with stress and other disorders. Payne said although it is not always clear when there is a disorder, students should always pay attention to their feelings.
"Sometimes it's not apparent to [the students], but somebody else might give us feedback," Payne said.
Not all students feel prepared to talk about their issues. Harrison said it took her some time before she could talk about her problems.
"At first you don't want to tell anyone," she said. "I kept it for a while from my parents, and when I was ready we went to see the doctor."
Harrison said she now has techniques for her panic attacks and she also talks with friends about her problems.
"Anyone who has felt stressed or depressed should not keep it to themselves because it only becomes worse," she said. "It will keep growing and growing."
Number of schools in the U.S. that reported students dealing with mental issues:
- 2006-2007: 92 percent
- 2007-2008: 95 percent
- 2008-2009: 98 percent
The number of new student clients who are requesting services at Ball State:
- 2006-07: 995 - 5.8 percent
- 07-08: 1,115 - 6.6 percent
- 08-09: 1,227 - 7.3 percent
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