When Emily arrived at the University of Connecticut as a freshman, her mental health was at a low point. She didn’t attend most of her classes, but when she did, she couldn’t pay attention or focus on the material. She said that as the weeks went on, it got worse.
“There was a good three weeks where I didn’t even leave the dorm, my roommate would bring me food so I would eat something,” Emily said.
Emily, who asked that only her first name be used due to privacy concerns, said she was diagnosed with major depressive and anxiety disorder. Her therapist at the time advised her to seek out group therapy for additional support.
However, when Emily sought out group therapy through Student Health and Wellness at UConn, she was turned away, she said.
“She said because you’re not suicidal and because you already have a therapist, there’s nothing we can do for you,” Emily said, regarding her intake video with SHaW.
According to Kristina Stevens, director of Student Health and Wellness, participation in group therapy is determined in partnership with the student and what would be the most helpful intervention based on their needs.
“I do think the university, from my perspective, has been very supportive of our work and ensuring that we’ve got those resources so that we can meet the needs of our students,” said Stevens. According to Stevens, SHaW constantly assesses the needs of its students and tries to change according to the landscape.
Stevens said UConn fulfills this through its multidisciplinary and holistic approach to student wellness, including by offering various group therapy options, such as one for students with chronic health conditions and another for pregnant or parenting students.
Emily said that after being denied access to group therapy, she waited two months to get into an outpatient program in Hartford.
Due to her struggle to perform daily tasks, Emily’s mother contacted multiple locations for outpatient therapy, the fifth being the only one with availability.
The following two months while she was waiting for treatment were extremely difficult.
“I was like, I don’t know if I have two months, you know,” Emily said. “And so that was hard.”
Students that have experiences similar to Emily’s are not alone. According to the National College Health Assessment, 21 percent of college students reported experiencing serious psychological distress.
Stevens added that there has been a rising trend in reports of anxiety and depression nationally since 2007.
She said the pandemic has left many with a sense of uncertainty and exacerbated feelings of depression and anxiety.
According to a 2022-23 report from the Healthy Minds Network, 22 percent of college students felt that emotional or mental difficulties have hurt their academic performance six or more days within the past month.
At UConn, the percentage of students that seek out mental health service at SHaW tends to stay around 12 to 15 percent each year, Stevens said.
This percentage comprises students in long-term treatment, seeing one therapist long-term and using same-day services.
Stevens said that recently, even within the Fall 2024 semester, more students have been accessing same-day services.
“We’re seeing a higher increase in students who are saying, I kind of need to see somebody now,” said Stevens.
Stevens said multiple factors could contribute to the rise in mental health challenges, including academic pressures, loneliness, finances, social media and troubling international events.
She also shared her observation that people have deemphasized personal health and wellbeing.
“I think people are often focused on ‘I gotta press through, I gotta press through, I gotta press through,’” said Stevens. “And the idea of taking care of myself feels like an afterthought.”
She added that students should prioritize their health by being proactive in self-care. This could include prioritizing sleep or having a meal with a friend.
She mentioned that many programs and resources are in place to help students.
The Suicide Prevention Commitee, of which Stevens is co-chair, shares information, trains first responders and plans events such as Fresh Check Day, a mental health promotion event held each spring offering interactive booths and support.
The Student Union Board of Governors (SUBOG) has also hosted speakers and events for students in relation to mental health.
However, Stevens said the main challenge has been in effectively communicating with students about these different programs, given that many events simply do not draw the number of participants expected. This pertains to student activities outside of SHaW as well.
On Sept. 10, a mental health workshop with comedian Patrick McIntyre had a turnout of around 15 students, despite the program being advertised through a variety of methods and on social media.
Emily emphasized that while she does not think SHaW is all bad, she does not think they provide adequate information for students to access therapy outside of SHaW, “especially not for students with severe mental health issues.”
She also said that last year she found all-recovery meetings at Cordial Storrs House, which is located at 1332 Storrs Road, after a break from group therapy.
These meetings, held on Fridays, are for students that are in recovery from substance use and/or mental health disorders. Meetings are facilitated by a recovery coach, and they are held both in person and online.
“The people there are very accepting, all you have to do is walk in,” Emily said.
24/7 Support on all UConn campuses- 833-308-3040
National Suicide Prevention lifeline- 988