The contemporary university student is at an unprecedented risk of developing a form of mental illness, mental illness referring to any “disorder that affects your mood, thinking, and behaviour” (Mayo Clinic), the culmination of which can result in the impairment of one’s ability to function in the daily rigours of university life, making University, for some students, one of the most difficult experiences of their life thus far; which may translate itself into various forms of self-harm/coping methods including, but not limited to, alcoholism, drug abuse, suicide, and an over reliance on technological devices. Conclusive research conducted in the past fifty years by numerous individuals, e.g. Katz, Wood, Flatt, have documented an alarming
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Whether an individual is aware or unaware of suffering from a mental disorder the quality of life for said individual is drastically effected in numerous cases, affecting biologically imperative functions such as procuring an adequate amount of sleep (Flatt, para. 25), ensuring proper exercise, and eating properly (Flatt, para. 29). Being unable to maintain an appropriate degree of nutrition and exercise has been directly linked to increasing the likelihood of experiencing “depression, anxiety, or panic disorders (Craft &Landers, 1998)” (Flatt, para. 30). Further research has found that the basic operations of individuals on a daily basis are impaired stating “thirty-six percent of men and forty-five percent of women had problems functioning due to feelings of depression” (Wood, para.9). Additionally “Forty-nine percent of students listed stress, anxiety, or depression as the main barrier to stronger academic performance (American College Health Association, 2006)” (Wood, para. 9) furthermore finding that “forty-six percent of college students have stated they have been depressed to the point of not being able to function within the past school year (American College Health Association, 2005)” (Keyes, para.2). Mental illness is impacting and impairing the functioning of more students than ever before, and perpetrating a viscous cycle were students psychological symptoms result in physiological manifestations and vise
Whether an individual is aware or unaware of suffering from a mental disorder the quality of life for said individual is drastically effected in numerous cases, affecting biologically imperative functions such as procuring an adequate amount of sleep (Flatt, para. 25), ensuring proper exercise, and eating properly (Flatt, para. 29). Being unable to maintain an appropriate degree of nutrition and exercise has been directly linked to increasing the likelihood of experiencing “depression, anxiety, or panic disorders (Craft &Landers, 1998)” (Flatt, para. 30). Further research has found that the basic operations of individuals on a daily basis are impaired stating “thirty-six percent of men and forty-five percent of women had problems functioning due to feelings of depression” (Wood, para.9). Additionally “Forty-nine percent of students listed stress, anxiety, or depression as the main barrier to stronger academic performance (American College Health Association, 2006)” (Wood, para. 9) furthermore finding that “forty-six percent of college students have stated they have been depressed to the point of not being able to function within the past school year (American College Health Association, 2005)” (Keyes, para.2). Mental illness is impacting and impairing the functioning of more students than ever before, and perpetrating a viscous cycle were students psychological symptoms result in physiological manifestations and vise