Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is Rising among College Students
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a critical mental health issue faced by many college students, stemming from traumatic events such as campus shootings, sexual assault, physical violence, natural disasters, etc. Other possible causes of PTSD among college students include unhealthy attachments, medical diagnosis, absent caregiving, as well as emotional and social wounds.
It is common knowledge that we live in the post-COVID era. Although the pandemic ended a few years ago, its effects on college students’ mental health are still looming on college campuses. Among the people worst affected by the pandemic era are college students, many of whom were studying away from their colleagues for the first time. Loss of connection, social isolation, social anxiety, etc. are some of the fallouts of this era.
PTSD is characterized by intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, avoidance, changes in moods and cognitions, as well as arousal or heightened sensitivity to reminders of an event, all of which continue more than a month after it occurs. Researchers have reported an increase in the experience of the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among college students. Additionally, mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression which are usually co-occurring with PTSD are on the rise.
It is also important to note that college students experience other trauma-related challenges that encompass many of the symptoms of PTSD. These include acute trauma, adjustment disorders, unspecified stressor and trauma-related disorders, and other specified trauma-related disorders. Understanding the prevalence of PTSD among college students, and the impact on the ability of College Counseling Centers to cope with the increase is a concern that should motivate stakeholders in the educational system to want to explore how the situation can be alleviated.
Prevalence of PTSD among College Students
According to a recent study by the University of Alabama, “the prevalence of PTSD increased by 4.1 percentage points from 3.4% (2017-2018) to 7.5% (2021-2022), and that of acute stress disorder (ASD) increased by 0.5 percentage points from 0.2% (2017-2018) to 0.7% (2021-2022)”. The study included participants from 5 waves (2017-2022) of the Healthy Minds Study across 332 US higher education institutions with diverse institutional types and geographic locations. Similarly, the Center for Collegiate Mental Health of Penn State University reported that traumatic experiences of college students over an 11-year period (2012-2023) increased by 8.3% for unwanted sexual experiences, by 6.2% for harassment, controlling, and/or abusive behavior and by 15.8% for other traumatic events. Furthermore, with the spate of school shootings at all levels of education, students’ arousal symptoms can be expected to increase. It should also be noted that people who have been exposed to traumatic experiences in the past are more susceptible to PTSD after a traumatic event like a school shooting.
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Risk Factors for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Campus Students
Studies have identified factors contributing to the rise in the diagnoses of PTSD and other stressor-related disorders such as include pandemic-related stressors (eg, loss of loved ones) and the effect of traumatic events (eg, campus shootings, racial trauma).There is also the untold effect of social media on campus students’ experiences of very stressful and distressing situations, from cyberbullying to heartbreaks from relationships to feeling not enough, or the popular imposter syndrome, the list is endless. Additionally, so much emotional distress is being reported during the first year away from home by campus students. Some of the factors include academic and social pressures both of which can be blamed for the spike in anxiety and depression which co-occur with symptoms of PTSD.
How to Identify a Student with Trauma
Here are a few possible signs that college students may be experiencing emotional trauma:
Not attending class or academic decline.
Seeming disconnected or easily agitated.
Anxiety or depression.
Frequently mentioning headaches, stomach aches, or sleeping through classes.
Seeming disconnected from their surroundings.
Impact of the rise of PTSD among College Students on College Counseling Centers
The impact of the rise in PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) among college students on college counseling centers includes:
Increased Demand for Services: The higher demand for mental health services as more students seek help for PTSD and other related issues can potentially strain the resources of college counseling centers leading to longer wait times for appointments.
Need for Specialized Training: Counselors and mental health professionals would need specialized training to effectively treat PTSD which requires additional investment in professional development and training programs for staff.
Comprehensive Care Programs: Counseling centers may need to develop more comprehensive care programs to address the complex needs of students with PTSD including collaborating with external healthcare providers.
Awareness and Outreach: Counseling centers may need to enhance their awareness and outreach efforts to educate the campus community about PTSD, reduce stigma, and encourage students to seek help.
Integration with Academic Services: Counseling centers would have to work closely with academic services to provide support such as accommodations and adjustments to academic requirements for students whose academics are affected by their PTSD symptoms.
Intervention
According to Judith Herman (2015), there are three stages of healing from trauma: developing safety, reconstruction of trauma, and reconnection. There are different interventions amenable to each of the stages.
Developing safety implies finding ways to feel safe in the environment and in the body. Interventions include yoga, mindfulness, relaxation, and breathwork.
Reconstruction of trauma involves processing the trauma memories. This involves the use of somatic-based interventions which have been found to be effective treatments for PTSD. These interventions focus on the connection between the mind and body, addressing how trauma is stored in the body and helping to release it. Some somatic-based interventions include Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Brain spotting, Biofeedback, Somatic Experiencing, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).
Reconnection entails developing new routines and reconnecting with social spaces. Interventions include returning to daily life, dating, group therapy, re-engaging in past activities, and maintaining a grounded sense of self.
Conclusion:
The rise in PTSD among college students is a significant concern that requires effective interventions. College counseling centers are pivotal in providing support through various therapeutic modalities. Somatic-based interventions offer promising complementary approaches to traditional therapies, helping students heal both mentally and physically from the effects of trauma.
HopeNation Campus’s Response to the Situation
HopeNation is committed to enhancing the lives of college students through somatic-based interventions specifically designed to enhance healing related to trauma. HopeNation partners with college counseling centers to develop programs that are uniquely tailored to their campus and focused on their students.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9408383
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen: doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.13874
✓ Medically Reviewed By Casey Merrill LPC-MHSP
