You may have heard that higher education does come with certain problems. This is true and yes, there are countless examples and issues you may encounter. Nevertheless, one of the biggest and probably the most severe problems is depression, usually paired with anxiety. Universities all over the country have been measuring an increase in depression among students. Here we will explain why this is the case and how to avoid the problem.

Why do students develop depression while in universities?

The full answer may come in countless forms, but there is a simple explanation here. So many, massive changes occur in the life of a student in a short period of time. Although a student may believe these are great changes, some have opposite beliefs. Depression is a huge and the most severe problem for a student. In 2019 over 36% have considered suicide at some point. Anyway, there are a few reasons why higher education causes depression in students.

They are alone

The first and most common reason is being all alone. Of course, a student is never alone and he is surrounded by people in the same situation. However, all of this is completely new for a student and he or she may feel all alone in that case scenario. Although the same issue may be present in other forms of education, higher education is still the most likely to cause depression.

Over 62% of students will say that they are all alone. A good thing here is that they feel like this for the first 12 months. After that, they meet new people, they adapt and they start enjoying it. Sadly, depression may cause severe problems during the first college year and in some cases even after this time frame. Education is tough for a student.

Financial issues

Financial issues are present as well. Higher the cost of scholarship, higher the stress. Add the fact that the cost of scholarships have been increasing every year and we can deduce that many young people will start developing various problems. Believe it or not, 70% of the students are worried about finance. We believe that this issue will be even more pronounced in near future.

There are no institutions or easy solutions for this problem. It will remain present through education. Of course, each state may offer different values and research figures, but in general, finance is a big problem for most of the people at colleges. Various types of funding may help as well.

A huge issue here is that most students will neglect their learning due to this problem. There is no need to add that this may have a severe impact on grades, skill development, and also on overall score while attending this form of higher education. One alternative or partial solution might be student aid which is desirable at the moment. Still, funding of various types might be the key solution.

Academic issues

Challenges facing young people are extremely tough these days. Most of them are caused by an increase in requirements by a college. For example, a college may need better papers, better skills, and faster thinking. All of this is complicated and time-consuming for a student, period. The trend has been growing and increasing its presence for a few years. Another related issue is that rivalry is higher than ever before and there is no room for failure and you can deduce why depression occurs.

This problem causes anxiety as well. Although depression and anxiety are not the same thing, they are usually paired and come together. Anxiety can make depression even worse and cause additional problems for a person. In that case scenario, treatment is mandatory and in most cases only a solution.

Social media

While social media is appealing and useful for business owners, it will have a negative effect on the younger population. According to numerous studies and surveys, social media can cause depression. We know that younger adults spend 8 or 10 hours per day on social media platforms which will do the obvious.

First of all, spending so much time on social media will decrease the time you have for higher studying and college-related responsibilities. Secondly, social media platforms cause depression in older people as well. You will look at happy people, traveling, partying etc. But, you must go out there and study or go to work. This is one small reason for depression, but when present every single day, you can get an idea.

Low self esteem

Almost 90% of young people believe that their body image is not as good as it should be. Many report that they need additional help as quickly as possible in order to solve this issue. Every state in the US has this issue. How you view your body and your capabilities can have a huge effect on your higher education.

This is a minor issue that may lead to a much more severe one. According to research, low self-esteem is accompanied with isolation, depression, eating disorders, anxiety, and many other problems. One reason for that is social media again. You will look at professional athletes, people who look like movie stars and you will look at you, looking completely opposite. This is not realistic and it can be easily solved! People should report this problem and try to solve it regardless of the state or country they live in. 

Conclusion

Depression is a huge problem for people in the realm of higher education. Causes are multiple but most severe ones are finance, too many responsibilities, poor personal picture and so much more. Do everything you can in order to stay away from depression. Keep in mind that this should be the happiest time in your life.

John Kennedy is a professional writer and editor who has been working for various websites and blogs for over 20 years. He is exceptional when it comes to writing college-related content. John is working at PapersOwl at the moment, as senior editor and full-time writer helping students from different countries. His specialties are all types of college essays.