Massive Survey Finds 1 in 3 College Freshmen Struggle With Mental Health—Here Are 4 Things You Can Do (CNBC Make It)

Dr. Sherry Benton, founder of UF startup and UF Innovate | The Hub graduate TAO Connect, an online mental health company, discusses what students can do to stay on top of their mental health while in college.

Mental health is a major concern on college campuses around the world. According to new research published by the American Psychological Association, over one-third of first-year college students are impacted.

Researchers from the World Health Organization, led by Columbia University Psychology Professor Randy P. Auerbach, surveyed nearly 14,000 first-year college students from eight countries (Australia, Belgium, Germany, Mexico, Northern Ireland, South Africa, Spain and the U.S.) and found that 35 percent struggled with a mental illness. Auerbach says this finding “represents a key global mental health issue.”

The most common mental illness was major depressive disorder, with 21.2 percent of respondents experiencing lifelong symptoms, followed by general anxiety disorder, which affects 18.6 percent of students.

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