Depression, Loneliness Peak in College Students

Around 83% of college students reported that mental health had negatively impacted their academic performance, and two-third of them are struggling with loneliness and depression amid COVID-19, revealed a new survey. "Half of the students in fall 2020 screened positive for depression and/or anxiety," said researcher Sarah Ketchen from the Boston University.

The results revealed that 94 per cent of the students said they wouldn't judge someone for seeking out help for mental health, which the researchers say is an indicator that also correlates with those students who are likely to seek help themselves during a personal crisis (although, paradoxically, almost half of the students said they perceive that others may think more poorly of them if they do seek help).

"We're harsher on ourselves and more critical of ourselves than we are with other people -- we call that perceived versus personal stigma. Students need to realise, your peers are not judging you," Lipson said.

According to Lipson, the survey's findings underscore the need for university teaching staff and faculty to put mechanisms in place that can accommodate students' mental health needs.

"The faculty needs to be flexible with deadlines and remind students that their talent is not solely demonstrated by their ability to get a top grade during one challenging semester," Lipson said.

Source-IANS