Colleges and our government tend to disregard mental health issues. We need to focus more on students at hand during this increasing mental health crisis. There are many mental health issues among students, some of which go unrecognized and untreated. This significantly affects students' academic achievement. Addiction, stress, anxiety, and eating disorders are just a few of the problems that college students deal with. These conditions make them susceptible to a wide range of significant mental illnesses. Because they are ignorant of their mental problems and do not obtain the necessary care, many students struggle throughout college. We need changes for students, new programs, check ups, easy accessibility to resources for students in need of mental health resources.

Why is this such a huge problem? Susan Livio states that since 2017 four Rowan University students have taken their own life. Susan Livio is all about how to change this she talks about how According to a bill that a state Assembly panel approved in 2020, college students in New Jersey would have access to peer support groups, psychological treatment both on and off campus and online, as well as a new student orientation session on depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions, but as Susan Livio states, “The Assembly Higher Education Committee passed the bill in December 2020. The Senate has yet to act on the bill”. A solid plan with no action from the senate in two years has shown that the government simply doesn’t have three majorities of the future generation on its mind.

The first question you should ask yourself while attempting to comprehend a situation is, "What are some of the typical signs of mental health issues?" "Symptoms of mental disorders fluctuate over time as a kid grows," the CDC says, "and may include challenges with how a child plays, learns, speaks, and acts, or how the child manages their emotions. Although some diseases may manifest during the teen years, symptoms frequently begin in early infancy (CDC 1). Even though a diagnosis is commonly given throughout the school years, if not earlier, certain children with mental problems may not be recognized or given one.

In the article linked at the bottom of the piece, Anemona Hartocollis talks about the difficulty college students have with stories about suicide. Hartocollis describes how a recent suicide that occurred in April 2020 still hangs over the campus. Additionally, Hartocollis recorded certain student statements in which they used adjectives like "disturbed" and "scared." According to Anemona Hartocollis, "The pandemic is partly to blame for the mental health crisis that is affecting colleges all over the country. There has been a disturbing spike in suicides at a few facilities. Students were unable to access the in-person resources and human interaction they could ordinarily rely on for support, making what was already a precarious situation even more precarious as a result of the pandemic's isolation and lack of connectedness.

Covid is to blame for the majority of kids' mental health issues, according to Anna Esaki-Smith. Recent research on high school and college students' mental health has raised serious questions about the emotional toll the pandemic has had on these populations, as indicated (Esaki-Smith1). According to a recent CDC study, 44% of high school students reported having experienced chronic depression or hopelessness the previous year, and more than a third of those surveyed said they had poor mental health during the epidemic in 2021.

Rowan University has had very minimal effect on changing ways they could possibly be helping students. As a Rowan student I feel very disconnected to resources that can help students struggling from mental health. There needs to be more resources towards students to make it easier for them to contact administration about their personal issues before any harm is done. I’m choosing to stand up against the Rowan administration and hoping others follow me along and sign this petition I’ve made to show numbers behind the many concerns surrounding students.

We require students to have more accessible resources to help them with their mental health. Possibly routine background checks on students to check up on students' mental health and to simply make mental health with students more aware of the issue at hand. Please sign this petition to show support to you possibly being a student or to a friend or family member you may know in college.

Resources:

Livio, S. (2021, November 18). With suicide the 2nd most common cause of death among students, N.J. lawmakers want colleges to do more. nj. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://www.nj.com/healthfit/2021/11/with-suicide-the-2nd-most-common-cause-of-death-among-students-nj-lawmakers-want-colleges-to-do-more.html

Hartocollis, A. (2021, December 22). Another surge in the virus has colleges fearing a mental health crisis. The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/22/us/covid-college-mental-health-suicide.html

COLAROSSI, J. (2022, April 21). Mental health of college students is getting worse. Boston University. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from https://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/mental-health-of-college-students-is-getting-wors

Esaki-Smith, A. (2022, May 10). Student Mental Health, already fragile, continues in 'wrong direction' due to pandemic. Forbes. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/annaesakismith/2022/05/09/student-mental-health-already-fragile-continues-in-wrong-direction-due-to-pandemic/?sh=324c505f1a1b