Mental Health among College Students Essay Sample

Mental Health is overlooked among college students. Many students suffer from mental health problems, some go unnoticed and untreated. This has a striking impact on students and their academic performance. College students are vulnerable to a variety of serious mental diseases; addiction, stress, anxiety, eating disorders, are just a few of the issues that students face. Many students suffer throughout college because they are unaware of their mental illnesses and do not receive appropriate care. 

Stress is a common word in today’s society. Many people have different analyses of the term stress. For some, stress has a positive message, for others, it's a negative one. Every person has had experiences with stress in their lives, whether it be positive or negative. Due to one’s feelings and how they are in certain situations, stress varies from person to person. College students,  in particular, are subjected to a wide range of stress. Stress factors affecting the student depend on the person and how they manage stress. Students take a lot of direction from coaches, family, and friends. Some of the comments are positive, but the majority are negative. Because a student-athlete already has so much going on outside of their sport, negative comments could easily cause stress. According to a 2015 NCAA survey, 30% of college student-athletes said they were “Intractably overwhelmed in the past month”.College is the first time a young adult is away from their parents' support and is expected to continue to perform at that high level without that constant support system. The increased stress levels of student- athletes are said to be due to their high demands of time requirements, pressure to perform, and burnouts. 

For women, one of the negative aspects of sports at the college level is physical exhaustion, eating disorders , and weight restrictions. Exhaustion is obtained when student-athletes overdo it and don’t follow accepted dietary guidelines, and do not get enough sleep.  College women athletes usually do not follow proper eating habits while in school(LaFountaine, 2007.) This is usually a result of a frantic schedule and the demand that comes with being a student-athlete. A more serious impact on female students who are athletes is the overall strain, stress, and extreme exercise put on their bodies. Exercise harms male athletes in relation to participation in substance abuse with illegal substances and performance enhancement drugs. Includes supplements, stimulants , and other substances that are often tied with affecting male athletes’ hormones. Athletes involved in the use of substances are more probable to experiment with other substances like tobacco, illegal drugs, and alcohol. The most common substance in student-athletes is Marijuana. Using this substance can lead to a decrease in athletic performance. Marijuana also has a significant effect on muscle fatigue and recovery. The use of any illegal substance can lead to the end of his or her career as an athlete and overall health. One negative impact for both male and female student- athletes is what's called a burnout. Burnouts affect students' emotions, physical energy, and their overall capability to learn. Burnout is expressed as being exhausted, resentment towards sport , and poor performance. 

Sports positively affect college student-athletes emotionally when it comes to their confidence levels. Athletes will display higher levels of confidence when in a motivational environment. This environment is a place where student-athletes are being encouraged in their sport with constructive criticism and receiving the support system they need to improve not only as athletes in their daily lives as well. This environment can be developed by teammates, team captains, coaches, and family. What student-athletes can accomplish in their sport is a determining factor in how their confidence is developed. In other words, if the athlete performs well in their sport, his/her confidence will increase. However, if the athlete doesn’t perform well, their confidence will decrease. This confidence travels over into academics, daily life, relationships, and the basis of the athlete's future. 

The negative impact of mental health on student-athletes has been a persistent problem around the world and has been a topic of interest in research for many years. Mental health has caused symptoms of depression and anxiety, helplessness, and loneliness. In student-athletes, these levels of stress are forced on individuals for several reasons. For example, student-athletes need to have success in both the field and the classes. Maintains the required average grade and playing time can be physically as well as mentally demanding.