According to different sources, mental health difficulties among college students have increased drastically in the past decade. Today, a growing number of young adults are being diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and other issues. In particular, we've observed a surge in the cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis among students.
This article takes a deep look into students with PTSD in the US. Here, we’ll evaluate the latest statistics on this matter, discuss the biggest contributing factors, explore the impact of this condition on young people, and look at how we can help students dealing with it.
What Is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition developed because of an experienced or witnessed traumatic event(s). Typically, it develops within three months (or, sometimes, later) after events that are life-threatening or emotionally/physically harmful. Some examples are:
- Abuse
- Serious accidents
- Natural disasters
- War exposure
- Medical illness
- Terrorist acts
Developed PTSD can cause a range of symptoms that can vary by duration and intensity. The most prominent symptoms include:
- Intrusive thoughts
- Avoidance of places, objects, people, and activities that may remind one of a traumatic event
- Changes in mood and cognition (e.g., depressive symptoms, troubles with memory, etc.)
- Changes in arousal and reactivity (e.g., reckless behaviors, angry outbursts, sleep issues, etc.)
Although PTSD is a complex condition that can greatly affect a person’s quality of life, it still seems to lack representation and awareness. This might be because only a small proportion of people exposed to trauma actually develop this syndrome. The World Health Organization reports that roughly 70% of people across the world experience a potentially traumatic event, but only 5.6% develop PTSD.
How Many College Students Have PTSD?
In order to understand the importance of this topic, we need to look at the current statistics of PTSD among students. The latest research on PTSD trends shows a surge in this syndrome among young adults – from 3.4% in 2017-2018 to 7.5% in 2021-2022. This is a 4.1% increase seen in only four years.
According to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health of Penn State University, occurrences of traumatic experiences among college students are also rising. The study analyzed data over an 11-year period (2012-2023) and found:
- An 8.3% increase in unwanted sexual experiences
- A 6.2% increase in harassment, controlling, and/or abusive behavior
- A 9.3% increase in other traumatic events
Furthermore, as the number of school shooting incidents remains relatively high across all levels of education, we expect an increasing number of PTSD cases. Even though the PTSD development rate is rather low, experts say that people who were exposed to a traumatic event once become more susceptible to PTSD after another event, such as a school shooting.
Top 5 Factors Contributing to the PTSD Surge
While studies confirm that PTSD has surged college students, we need to understand the underlying causes to address the problem. Here, we’ll analyze the 5 major factors that contribute to this surge:
1. The Lingering Pandemic Effects
The rapid growth in PTSD diagnoses started right around the time of COVID-19, so it’s hard to ignore the elephant in the room. The pandemic has left millions of people, including college students, socially isolated. According to studies, it became a prolonged, collective traumatic event. From a student’s perspective, this time was associated with:
- A loss of a habitual support system
- Anxiety about their own and their loved ones’ health
- Loss of loved ones
- Challenges with navigating remote learning, etc.
2. Increased Awareness and Diagnosis
Another thing that contributes to the surge is growing mental health awareness. Over the past few years, college students (and the community, in general) have become more acknowledged about mental health issues, symptoms, and diagnosis. This fact has caused more people to recognize the potential PTSD signs and seek help when they need it. And this is not a negative factor. On the contrary, awareness is the foundation needed for recognizing and addressing the issue.
3. Academic Pressure and Financial Stress
Attending college is a stressful event on its own. Students are expected to socialize, be active in sports and extracurriculars, maintain high GPAs, and, at the same time, have all their future lives figured out. And then there is also anxiety about the cost of living and growing student debt. This daily pressure frequently leads to chronic stress and burnout. This makes students more vulnerable to developing PTSD in the case of a traumatic event.
4. Social Media and Constant Connection
Modern students live in a highly connected world. On the one hand, this gives them access to a wealth of valuable and important information. But, on the other hand, this connection also increases students’ exposure to traumatic events. In their social media feeds, students can see natural disasters, political unrest, and acts of violence occurring all over the world. This can build up trauma and result in PTSD symptoms in the long run.
5. Campus Safety Concerns
Unfortunately, one more factor that can contribute to the growth of PTSD is a declining sense of safety on campus. Every year, college students get exposed to threats like:
- School and campus shootings
- Sexual assault
- Physical violence, etc.
These and other forms of violence can create a persisting sense of danger, which makes students more susceptible to PTSD. Additionally, racial, gender-based, and other forms of discrimination that still exist on campuses could further exacerbate traumatic stress responses.
How Does PTSD Affect Students?
Post-traumatic stress disorder often causes intrusive thoughts, emotional numbness, and hyperarousal. The duration and severity of these symptoms can vary. But they frequently result in atypical and potentially harmful behaviors. For this reason, PTSD students can experience significant challenges in regular daily activities.
Common signs to watch out for include:
- Decreased school attendance
- A drop in academic decline
- Anxiety or depression symptoms
- Disconnected or easily agitated mood
- Sleeping during classes
- Disconnection from friends and family
- Frequent mention of headaches, stomach aches, etc.
Accommodations for College Students With PTSD
Now that we have a clear understanding of the problem, its causes, and impact, how can schools and communities help students with PTSD?
Below, we’ll look at the 6 essential solutions that should be implemented:
Prioritizing Mental Health Education
Although mental health awareness is steadily growing, this topic is still surrounded by questions and stigma. To accommodate and support PTSD students, colleges need to prioritize mental health education. Lectures about different types of mental health issues should become an obligatory part of orientation or first-year seminars. This way, students will gain more knowledge on how to support themselves and each other.
Increasing Access to Mental Health Resources
Apart from delivering general education, schools must provide students with additional resources to help them recognize the signs of mental issues and cope with them. The resources that can help include:
- Counselors
- Tele-therapy
- Group sessions
- Peer support programs
These resources help ensure that all students have access to diagnosis and diverse treatment options when needed.
Creating Trauma-Informed Campuses
The education of faculty and staff is another important element. Colleges need to teach their staff members about mental issues, their signs, and intervention strategies. Additionally, they should incorporate sensitive policies. These policies should allow flexible deadlines and attendance for students dealing with trauma to create a more supportive environment for them.
Fostering a Supportive Community
Students with mental conditions often feel isolated and non-belonging due to existing stigma. Schools should encourage open conversations about these topics and create safe spaces where students can share their stories and get support. Such peer support hubs can help students dealing with trauma regain a sense of belonging and feel safer in school.
Promoting Healthy Coping Strategies
For students who have already developed PTSD or have a risk of developing this syndrome, colleges must provide clear resources and guidance on how to cope with their mental health healthily. Schools can offer access to resources and workshops on evidence-based stress management and mindfulness. This should help students build resilience and acquire the skills they need to support themselves.
Addressing Campus Safety Concerns
Lastly, colleges should take proactive steps to minimize on-campus threats. A combination of physical security measures, staff training, mental health support, and detailed emergency protocols creates a multi-layer security system that can make the campus a safer place for everyone. If students feel safer in school, their daily stress levels will likely reduce.
Conclusion
The number of students with post traumatic stress disorder has increased drastically. Persistent stress, academic pressure, and exposure to traumatic content all contribute to this surge. And this can have a range of negative effects on young people. However, it’s possible to protect students from developing PTSD or support those who already have a diagnosis through education, peer support, and general safety. Colleges must implement these accommodations to address the growing number of PTSD cases.