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Psychiatric disorders are prevalent, yet undertreated, in college kids

The college years are a particularly vulnerable time of development. What’s more, the academic and social pressures can be overwhelming for a college student, living in a new, transitional, and highly influential environment. 

The major task of this age is to become their own person. They need to learn to make choices and commitments, follow through with them, and stand up independently in the world. But college-aged kids swing back and forth between dependence and independence as they work on these tasks.   What’s more, college-aged individuals may have less well-developed coping mechanisms or less experience than older adults with romantic disappointments and interpersonal difficulties, making them particularly vulnerable to the effects of these and related stressors. 

A recent large Columbia study of 5,000 individuals, aged 19 to 25, found that mental health problems are highly prevalent among both college students and nonstudents alike.   In this study, an alarming 46%  of students and 48% of non-students in this age group technically had a psychiatric disorder according to objective DSM-IV criteria.

That is not to say that almost half of our youth will go on to suffer mental illness for the rest of their lives.  Many of the 19 to 25 year olds who use healthy coping mechanisms will overcome this challenging and emotional phase of their lives.  Regular exercise, adequate sleep, a well-balanced diet, choosing friends wisely, and seeking professional counseling when needed will build a solid foundation for happiness and success in their later years.  Others who turn to alcohol, heavy partying, excessive sleeping, smoking, or drugs to deal with their stressors, will more likely go on to develop more serious mental illness.

 Another study by Timberlake et al., which followed students from early adolescence through their mid 20’s, found that compared with their peers who never attended college, current college students were less likely to have been binge drinkers prior to their college years but were more likely to binge drink once they entered college—probably as a result of the college environment.  The Columbia study also found that college students were significantly less likely to seek treatment  for drug and alcohol problems than nonstudents in the same age group.

Studies have shown that individuals who increasingly binge drink from age 18 to 24 and those who consistently binge drink at least once a week during this period may have problems achieving the tasks typical of the transition from adolescence to young adulthood (e.g., marriage, educational attainment, employment, and financial independence).

Dependence on alcohol and other drugs is also associated with several mental health problems,  such as: depression,  anxiety,  oppositional defiant disorder (ODD),  and antisocial personality disorder.  Early intervention with these disorders is essential in preventing dysfunctional and sometimes tragic outcomes.

According to Dr. Mark Olfson of Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, in an article in MedPage Today, “As these young people represent our nation’s future, urgent action is needed to increase detection and treatment of psychiatric disorders among college students and their non-college-attending peers.”

 via Blanco C, et al., “Mental health of college students and their non-college-attending peers: results from the National Epidemiologic Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions,” Arch Gen Psychiatry 2008; 65:1429-37.

via “College Students Undertreated for Psychiatric Conditions”, MedPage Today, December 1, 2008

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