There was a story in the New York Times Sunday Magazine a few years ago regarding the problem of an increased suicide rate in college students. On the theory that was proposed, that I believe has some merit, is that psychotropic medications have helped but at the same time increased the number of students who would have otherwise never entered college/university because of their fragile mental state. Rather than thinking that the stresses of college have increased, it might be the case that more students with a diathesis for "need for counseling" are entering the academy. I certainly have noticed an increase over the years of students using an excuse regarding medication for failures to produce. "My medication was changed" is a common one. "I couldn't get a refill of my medications" is another. Bill Scott
Bill, Very good interpretation, you are right on. Part of the problem IS the number of students now coming onto a college campus in an already fragile state. However, we are seeing increases in students coming to college in worse shape, even without meds. The data is still coming in -- whether or not we are simply seeing a proportionate increase in numbers (due to increased enrollments at many institutions), while the counseling staff "feel" those increases are disproportionate. At my own institution the enrollment has increased significantly since I've been there, and I'm still sorting through the numbers from each year if the increases in students seeking counseling is proportionate. Part of the problem with counseling staff possibly misperceiving the increase is that many counseling centers wait in line a long time before they are given the green light on hiring additional counselors/psychologists. Understandably we need to increase faculty first, but if we lag too far behind in mental health providers, I suspect our faculty are going to notice it. Dr Jim Guinee --- To make changes to your subscription go to: http://acsun.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=tips&text_mode=0&lang=english
