By Andrea Schneider, PsychCentral, February 7, 2020
Did you know that the second leading cause of death in people ages 15-22 is suicide (ACHA, 2020)? Those are some sobering statistics. After a recent move from S CA to N Ca, I am currently serving in a new role in which I am the Lead Counselor on a college campus for this age range. Unfortunately, those statistics don’t lie. I am deeply involved in creating new programs, strategies, and direct clinical support for the students my campus serves as relates to suicide prevention and wellness strategies. In my research, I have found the following to be true:
- According to the EAB firm (2019) analysis, an uptick in demand for counseling services on college campuses has skyrocketed due to three pressing demands: 1) changing social norms (increased awareness, early response frameworks, and reduced stigma), 2) shifting demographics (increased concerns, higher expectations of support, and new parenting styles), and 3) external pressures (social media, intensified expectations, and political climate), (EAB, 2019).
- As well, we know that rates of depression and anxiety have increased exponentially for teens and young adults in the last decade, as seen with various statistics from several studies NIMH, 2019).
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