(University of Illinois Chicago, 2022)

Mental health is an incredibly complex and diverse component of our overall health. According to the World Health Organization, "Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community" (World Health Organization, 2022). Throughout our lives, we all face situations and circumstances that can harm our mental health. These circumstances can be influenced by social, economic, or environmental factors (World Health Organization, 2022). Transitioning into college is a great example of a situation that can impact mental health. College is oftentimes a completely new environment for many students. Additionally, college is typically the first time that students have ever been on their own. 

On average, a staggering 60% of all students meet the criteria for at least one mental health condition (Lipson et al., 2022). Additionally, only a third of that percentage of individuals receive proper mental health treatment (Shim et al., 2022). On college campuses, mental health is strongly associated with academic success. Students struggling with depression and anxiety are generally expected to have a lower GPA and a higher likelihood of dropping out (Shim et al., 2022). Due to a lack of proper mental health education and awareness, mental health issues continue to be a problem on college campuses. Our website focuses specifically on mental health at The University of South Dakota. For more information about USD student mental health, please view our Community Impact page!

(Guydish, 2022) 

(Villarruel, 2017) 

Negative Social Stigmas

According to an article published in the Journal of Mental Health & Clinical Psychology, "changes to the public view of mental health are essential to overcoming the structural stigma and promoting mental health care" (Shim et al., 2022). The negative social stigmas surrounding mental health generally make individuals feel ashamed and embarrassed, which prevents them from seeking counseling and treatment. These stigmas often arise as a result of the spread of misinformation. Many individuals believe that, through education, we can eliminate these stigmas and increase awareness about mental health (Shim et al., 2022). For more information on mental health education and what you can do to help, please view our Becoming Involved page!

Lack of Education & Awareness

Our website aims to raise awareness about mental health and to educate USD students on the mental health services that are provided to them. Oftentimes, campuses do not advertise their resources enough. This means that students who are struggling do not know where they can seek help. One study found that "about one-third of college students do not know that counseling services and support are available on campus" (Shim et al., 2022). If you are struggling, our Prevention/Intervention page shares a variety of different resources and health services that USD provides for its students. If you want to help spread the word, please see our Becoming Involved page for more information!

(Ganguly, 2023)