Rising Mental Health Challenges Amoungst College Students

As the fall semester comes to an end, University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) students are facing mental health challenges as they deal with the stressors of everyday life while completing their college degrees and trying to maintain a social life. 

A United States News/Generation Lab Report survey conducted in 2024 reported that 70% of students said they’ve struggled with mental health since starting college. 

Trynen Brooks, a current Psychology major at UCO, believes the most common difficulties amongst college students involve both motivation and fulfillment. 

“A lot of students struggle with feeling enriched and successful in their education,” said Brooks.

“I would say imposter syndrome and just feeling as if you’re not very sure about what you are doing is a common trend amongst students.”

Brooks added, “I think there is a fundamental misconception of what mental health looks like that makes individuals feel as if their experiences are not severe enough to garner any outside help or attention.”

UCO offers programs that support students experiencing mental-health challenges and caters to their overall welfare through the Center for Counseling and Well-Being (CCWB). 

In addition to these programs, Brooks spoke highly of the professors at UCO by expressing how empathetic and considerate they are of students’ needs, both mentally and academically. 

“There is a level of compassion and mutual respect that many don’t experience in the span of their academic career, and I am very appreciative of the experience that I have had,” said Brooks. 

Brooks also mentioned financial strain and time management as being very impactful stressors to students.

Brooks stated, “Most students you speak with are full-time students and full-time workers… the balance between life, school, and the cost of education in this country is a challenging obstacle to face. Additionally, finances prevent a lot of people from completing their degrees in a timely fashion.”

College students are dealing with stress coming from every direction, and each student has their own way of handling it.

“There is no unnatural response to stress,” said Brooks. “Everyone responds to stress differently. The most important understanding is that your response is not random — it has related causes.”

“Certain experiences with mental health can make you feel abnormal,” added Brooks.

“The conclusion is simply that as humans, we have individual responses to stimuli, and mental health is just how one has learned to deal with their life’s experiences… give yourself grace and understanding.”