Anxiety and Depression at an All-Time High Among College Students

By Andreas Fanos on July 3, 2018

College can be very stressful and too much to deal with sometimes. Between being an athlete, being on top of homework and internships, studying for tests/quizzes, being involved on campus with clubs and other organizations like fraternities and sororities, and more, it all can be pretty overwhelming and draining.

I found myself having plenty of time in high school and thinking I would in college as we can make our own schedules and have off days, but I still was extremely busy with internships, working, being in clubs, and setting aside time to eat, sleep, and go to the gym.

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An article in the Chicago Tribune by David Rosenberg of Wayne State University found alarming statistics that “research shows that 1 in 5 university students are affected with anxiety and depression.”

Despite all the alarming research, college is a necessity in today’s age to find a great job and find oneself. People might think that a lot is learned in high school, but college brings a lot more as you find what you really want to do with your life as you are turning into an adult. There are endless amounts of freedom and that is what can cause anxiety and depression as students are not taking care of themselves getting enough sleep or eating enough.

The author has found an interesting concept as to why students are filled with stress and are not able to do everything and that is technology. Technology is all around us and we are glued to our phones. We no longer enjoy moments as we take pictures on our phones, instead of enjoying the time. Social media has also caused a false sense of reality as we see all the good, but not much of the bad. We see a lot of partying and people having a good time all the time, but it is a false perception of what really goes on in individuals lives. Instead, we are comparing ourselves to each other, instead of doing our own thing.

The use of cell phones but specifically “excessive use of each tends to engender impaired social interactions and an increased sense of isolation.” We think we are living truthfully, but we are stuck in a web of lies with social media. We are so driven by phones that it has caused students to get less sleep in turn and added stress.

For example, the article states that “one study found that almost 50 percent of college students indicated they woke up at night to answer text messages.” Our phones have caused increased anxiety and we’ve deprived ourselves of sleep and it is needed greatly in college.

Bullying and doing drugs have also added stress and made people depressed. You might think that doing these things would help someone, but they don’t — especially doing drugs. The way famous people and celebrities have depicted drugs is part of the problem as our culture views it as a cool thing to do or that all the rich and famous are doing it. Our culture is much to blame for these false perceptions. Cyberbullying is a big problem as anyone can send a message making fun of someone on Facebook or any other applications to anger and make people sad.

Anxiety is thrust upon individuals at college because of the huge charge of tuition and being able to afford to get a degree. Individuals need to remember that they can seek help by calling a hotline or visiting support centers on college campuses. It is perfectly okay to talk to someone if life is not going well and there is just too much on your plate. By using these support centers on college campuses and taking a break from it all can all help towards having less anxiety and having a fun time in college.

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