How Can Universities Save the Burnout Generation?
Mental health issues amongst students has become an epidemic. We’ve all heard the statistics on suicide, the encouragements to speak out and warnings to be kind to one another online. But, prevention is better than cure. So what is causing the spread of mental health issues and what can be done, particularly by universities, to stop it?
Being a student can’t be that hard, right?
As described by students themselves in findings from Student Minds, “Uni is an incredibly stressful time with a lot of high expectations of you both socially and academically.” For many, going to university means living away from home for the first time, managing finances independently, creating a new identity with new friends, as well as striving to succeed academically. The pressures are only exacerbated by the increase in tuition fees. When making such a costly investment, who wouldn’t feel pressure to excel in every aspect? And it’s not just university — young people today are under huge pressure to be always on the go. To be successful you must wake up early, work out five times a week, always eat delicious, nutritious and Insta-worthy meals, reply to emails at any time of day, have living conditions that spark joy, make time for friends and family, gain experience from voluntary internships whilst supporting yourself with a paid job and do well in your studies. It’s called burnout, and it’s real.
Who is at risk?
NHS figures show that 32% of all detentions in England in 2017/18 were individuals aged 18–34. In fact, detentions for those aged 18–34 were a third higher than those aged 50–64. And it’s not just age; those with lower income are also more likely to suffer from ill mental health. The number of 18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged backgrounds entering higher education has increased by more than 6% over recent years, which is unsurprising given the government’s focus on widening participation. It seems logical, then, that an increase in students from low-income backgrounds will lead to an increased number of students suffering mental health problems. With that in mind, are sufficient additional mental health resources being considered as much of a priority as the excellent widening participation schemes universities have been rolling out? One would hope so.
Aside from demographics, there are many other factors which contribute to the likelihood of being diagnosed with a mental health condition. For example, second and third-year students are at significantly higher risk of experiencing feelings of worry and loneliness, substance misuse for coping, and thoughts of self-harm. Is this because support trails off after the barrage of freshers’ information on settling in, making friends and living away from home? It seems likely that support for second and third years is even more vital, as academic pressures ramp up and the deadline for entering the ‘real world’ looms ever closer. International students, too, may need additional support, with non-UK students making up almost 20% of the HE population in 2016/17. Mental health is still hugely stigmatised in many international cultures, particularly across Asia. Students may be ashamed or afraid to discuss their difficulties, despite the extra stresses of living in a foreign country with a new culture, far away from friends and family. International students may need additional support and encouragement to make use of university support services and to feel comfortable speaking openly about their struggles without feeling judged.
Isn’t being stressed normal for a student?
The problem deepens when you consider how normalised stress and stress-related behaviours are at university. Not being able to sleep, working all night, crying in the library, binge drinking — it’s all considered normal behaviour for a university student. It’s also common behaviour for someone suffering with their mental health. Anxiety and depression are the most common concerns amongst students according to Penn State, accounting for 42.4% of all student mental health issues. It seems probable that the number of students suffering from anxiety or depression could, in fact, be much higher, and is just masked, denied or pushed aside as ‘student life’. The danger is that students become less likely to seek help — their symptoms or concerns may seem insignificant if the majority of their peers are exhibiting the same behaviour. In fact, research from Sheffield Hallam University suggests that less than a quarter of students with mental health conditions seek help. Perhaps, then, universities should be looking to identify students who are distracted or unengaged, rather than relying on students to self-diagnose and come looking for help.
And what about those students who can’t actively come looking for help? Distance and online learning is on the up, and many universities now have a growing number of students who are rarely, if ever, on campus. Provisions are being put in place to help accommodate these students in terms of access to course materials and interaction with tutors, but access to mental health services should be just as much a part of the distance learning experience. In the same vein, even campus-based or commuting students spend large chunks of the year away from campus. When considering the needs of distance, blended and on-campus students, it seems clear that mental health care should be three things; continuous, accessible and available. University mental health services should be available to any student who needs them, regardless of their mode of study, physical location or time constraints. Think less ‘doctor’s surgery’ and more Headspace.
What about other mental health services?
Despite all of this, research would have you believe that our mental health crisis is improving — in fact, the number of detentions in England has fallen 22% since 2016. Great news, right? Unfortunately not. Research also tells us that the number of available psychiatric care beds decreased by a massive 50% between 2000–2015. In fact, of the 36 countries listed by OECD, the UK ranks only 26th for available beds per 1,000 people. In 2016, the UK had 0.4 psychiatric beds per 1,000 inhabitants, compared with Japan who had 2.6 — over six times as many. When you dig beneath the surface it becomes clear that our mental health crisis is not improving, it’s simply that there are not enough available resources to adequately care for those who need them. Universities should be mindful of this in their approach to dealing with mental health issues. Counselling services have reported an increase in the number of students with severe mental health problems, but with lack of NHS resources students will often have nowhere else to turn. If there were an infinite number of available care beds, would the number of detentions have decreased by a fifth? It seems unlikely.
What can universities do?
There are some practical steps universities can take to help prevent mental health issues. Suggestions from students include proactively reaching out to students who are struggling, helping students identify when stress becomes a more serious issue or training staff that students regularly see such as lecturers and personal tutors. Other practical suggestions include not keeping libraries open 24/7 to encourage the need for sleep, and stocking vending machines with nutritious foods to encourage healthy eating. PhD student Geoff Mills even suggests that every undergraduate programme should have a mental-wellbeing course attached. Even small steps like encouraging group discussion in class as opposed to calling out individual students could help alleviate the pressures felt by some. Many universities are already taking action, with Harper Adams University, Loughborough University and University of Chichester topping THE’s list of best UK universities for student welfare in 2018. UCL offers a space where students can explore their feelings through expressive painting, St Mary’s offers a wellbeing zone in the library and University of Leeds offers ‘feel better fruit’. New technologies are also being embraced, with Coventry, Exeter, Lincoln and Manchester Metropolitan all taking part in trials for new ‘emotional fitness’ app Fika. These small steps prove it’s possible to make positive change.
Let me leave you with this thought. A survey found that a fifth of university students have a diagnosed mental health condition. If this statistic is generalised across the entire UK university population, that’s almost half a million students who have been diagnosed. Consider the students who have pushed their problems aside as normal student behaviour, who have been unable to get help through the NHS and those who deny their feelings due to the stigma surrounding mental health. The potential for undiagnosed mental health conditions in students is huge. University mental health services must be proactive and preventative to really rescue the Burnout Generation.
Originally published at www.kortext.com by Emma Prowse
