College freshmen leaving their homes for school experience a lot of “firsts”: first time living on a university campus; having more freedom than ever before; receiving instruction from professors; and expanding their social lives in new ways.
There’s certainly lots of excitement associated with this big transition, which makes it critical for students not to leave their mental health behind.
A survey by the American Psychological Association found that about one in three freshmen struggles with mental health issues, and the stress and uncertainty of Covid is a compounding variable.
Additionally, a 2020 study by Penn State University’s Center for Collegiate Mental Health–which has been gathering data about students seeking mental health services at college counseling centers all over the country for nearly 20 years–showed that more students sought counseling for family distress and academic distress.
Continuity of behavioral health care is paramount, and it can be easily done as long as students have a plan.
Make a Plan With Your Therapist
For better or worse, college brings many distractions, and students risk neglecting their mental health maintenance. Any disruption in treatment can worsen a student’s symptoms, interfere with studies, and reduce overall quality of life.
To that end, before your child ships off, they should speak with their therapist about a plan for continuity of care. Their therapist may be able to continue working with them through a telehealth format, depending on state laws. In that case, ensure that your child and therapist have established expectations and scheduling for sessions.
Therapists can also help you find providers and support options on or around the campus community. If you are not able to find a provider before you move, the counseling service at your child’s school may help you find local clinicians.
Speaking of which…
College Mental Health Resources
Among the many items on your checklist while preparing your child for college, definitely prioritize learning about the mental health resources your child’s college has to offer.
Kids may be psyched to start college, but balancing new academic expectations with mental health care could prove challenging. Heightened stress and anxiety due to study pressure could exacerbate college freshmen struggling with mental health, and it could be tempting to forgo treatment to make more room for studying.
Universities and colleges provide help to students struggling with mental health via counsellors and behavioral health professionals who provide their services on campus. In most institutes, counsellors provide mental health therapy online using Skype, Zoom and other video conferencing apps to maintain social distancing.
Crisis Planning
No one likes to plan for a crisis amid the excitement of entering college, but you can’t predict when mental symptoms will flare up.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) recommends a meeting of the minds with your child’s current provider, you, and others in your support network to have a plan in place in case of an emergency, including:
- Contact information for your current mental health providers
- A list of current medications (including dosage)
- Contact information for your pharmacy
- Notes on your medical history, including physical health conditions
- Your preferences for who the school should contact — and under what circumstances
It’s important to note the relationship between lifestyle choices and mental health. To the extent that your child can–and it’s difficult to avoid The Freshman 15–encourage them to get enough sleep, exercise, eat reasonably, practice mindfulness, and so on.
This is all in the spirit of setting your freshman up for mental wellbeing so that they can have a successful and fun college experience.
Chicago Mind Solutions
We want to give you and your incoming freshman peace-of-mind for the start of school. For more information on the continuity of care, please contact us at (224) 723-5050 or email info@chicagomindsolutions.com.
