Andrew Rush & Megan Grant, Communitarian Feature Writers

The American Psychological Association reports that Generation Z, or those born between 1997 and 2012, are the generation most likely to report their mental health as “not good” or “poor”. Nearly three quarters of college students meet the standard for moderate to severe psychological stress. As a result, schools all over the country are trying different approaches to address this crisis of poor mental health.

Depression and anxiety are the primary conditions affecting most college students. A 2016 Penn State University study found that 22% of students meet the standard for major depressive disorder and 41% for overall depression. It was also found that 61% identify with generalized anxiety and underlying illnesses. These conditions often are accompanied by suicidal ideation, eating disorders, and substance abuse issues.

To enable healthy growth and development for students, most schools take steps to alleviate these issues by offering internal support such as mental health and career counseling services at no extra cost to students. External resources are also offered by schools such as referrals to nearby hospitals, crisis centers and psychological associations that offer short- and long-term behavioral health services. [RW1] 

At colleges such as Delaware County Community College resources have been instituted to maintain students’ mental health, this includes personal counseling. Personal counseling is available to discuss various issues. The school has also established a Suicide Prevention Committee to help students navigate through their depression. If you or a loved one are having suicidal thoughts and may be contemplating suicide call the   Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or Delaware County Crisis Connections Team at 1-855-889-7827

---

 [RW1]Wish you had added something about DCCC