Mental Health Issues and the University Student

Young adults entering college bring with them many problems—complicated family dynamics, identity issues, and extreme pressure to succeed, among others. Students' mental health difficulties range from adjustment disorders to mood disorders, and growing numbers of them are seeking help on campus.But these students are also resilient and eager to learn, and even the most depressed among them steps onto campus with some degree of hope for a new and better phase of life. Doris Iarovici, a psychiatrist at Duke University Counseling and Psychological Services, sees in college and university mental health services an opportunity for mental health professionals to bring about positive change with young people during a crucial period of their development. In this practical and highly readable book, Dr. Iarovici describes the complexity and severity of the current college mental health crisis and narrates how college mental health services have evolved along with changes in student populations. She discusses students' lifestyle problems and psychiatric concerns, using case vignettes to explore a variety of interventions. Included are discussions of substance abuse, relationship difficulties, eating disorders, depression and anxiety, and culture clashes. Problems uniquely addressed in this book include sleep disturbances and perfectionism. An essential component of the volume is a guide to making emergency assessments, from risk classification and hospitalization to public safety and communication within and outside the campus community.Psychiatrists, counselors, and social workers working with college-age students—both on campus and off—will find this guide invaluable.