University is believed to be the best time of life. Not enjoying every minute of it is the same as spending time in vain. Exept for the reality that the number of students with the mental problems appealing to counsellors has increased over the past five years.
According to statistics revealed in the report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, 80% of universities has seen the sharp increase of students appealed to counselling asking to help them with anxiety and depression since 2007. While only 13% reported a minor increase.
Psychiatrists believe that the reasons for such an increase are the widening of access to university for students from less priviledged families, raise of tuition fees and the overall financial burden.
Nowadays most universities practice in-house counselling because getting treatment via GP is not easy at all. However, even if a student manages to get NHS councelling, it's difficult to fit appointments when the term papers are to be submitted within the deadlines...by the time they get an appointment, the problem can already be not timely.
Dr Annie Grant, dean of students and director of student services at the University of East Anglia, considers that in-house counselling and other services like that are very important as this way students get the help they need. "If you're a student, you have your deadlines to meet, you have coursework and exams. If you are ill for a few weeks, you will fall behind."
The representatives of Royal College of Psychiatrists warn that mental health provision such as counselling is under great pressure now and say that a lack of such services is expected to be compensated within the health service. It says that cuts to higher education mean "the gulf between need and supply may widen further".
Support provided to students help them not to drop out and solve mental problems. These services keep talanted students at universities and prevent the waste of fees. However, universities are not obliged to spend a certain amount of money on mental provision. They don't even have to develop a mental health policy. Is it time for changes?
