Katherine Moore
“147, 148, 149, 150, 151…”
He counts every step from his car to his classroom in the Business Building.
If he gets there and he’s landed on an odd number, he must find a way to squeeze in an extra step, no matter how small.
Uneven numbers aren’t allowed in his life-except seven and 21.
In class, he counts the tiles on the floor. He knows how many steps it will take for him to get from his kitchen to his bedroom, his bedroom to the living room.
His life is consumed by numbers. If he doesn’t keep count, he’s overcome with a sense of doom. Something horrible might happen-or he might even die.
Mike* is a student at Pierce College who has obsessive-compulsive disorder (or OCD), just one of a myriad of mental health issues that are currently affecting many college students in the United States.
While his condition does not appear to be life threatening, many students are struggling with symptoms that are.
One in 100 college students reported attempting suicide in the past year, according to the American College Health Association’s 2006 survey.
Ninety-five percent of those cases were attributed to untreated depression. In fact, nearly half of all college students report being so depressed at one point that they could not function in school.
The types of mental illnesses are as varied as the people they affect.
Depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorder and bipolar disorder are just a few of the illnesses that are proving to be an impediment to students all over the country.
Often difficult to diagnose and sometimes hard to treat, 95 percent of college students who commit suicide suffered from some type of mental illness. It is important to remember there is plenty of help for those with a mental health condition, with many trained professionals who have the skills and training required to provide the support that is needed. For example, twyford support
offer support to establish communication skills and develop coping strategies which could even prove life-saving for some individuals.
Mike, 25, also has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
He has so many thoughts going on in his head at once that he does not process information at a normal rate, and he is easily distracted. He usually has to reread chapters in his textbooks several times.
Mike started to notice his unusual behavior when he was a sophomore in high school. His problems progressed over the years, and he was finally diagnosed with OCD and ADHD in 2005.
An accounting major at Pierce, Mike takes medication to help slow his thought processes. As for his obsessive-compulsive behavior, his routine is key.
“If my routine is not completed, it has to be repeated until it’s done right or I can’t move on,” Mike said. “Everything I do is repetition – everything I do is based on numbers and body movements.”
It’s not clear why so many college students are experiencing mental health issues today. Stress and the pressure to succeed surely play a pivotal role, but stress is not a new phenomenon, and many of these students showed signs at an early age that something was wrong.
The No Stigma campaign, along with HalfofUs.com are working to eradicate the stereotypes so often associated with mental illness, hoping to make young people feel secure enough to seek out the help and treatment they need. Mental illness may or may not be on the rise, but maybe the confidence to speak out and get help is.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.” That’s how 22-year-old James describes his family. At 16, James decided to hit the books and try to do better in school. He succeeded, with all As and Bs. He also ended up at Northridge Hospital, where he spent a week in the psychiatric ward.
It seemed that the pressure of school and stressful social situations were too much for James.
He became delusional and thought all his friends were turning against him. “I literally thought they were all plotting together to destroy me, or kill me,” he said.
He was later readmitted to the hospital, spending five weeks there and trying several different medications.
James was diagnosed that year with schizophrenia. With the help of medication and support from his family, he is now a computer network technology major at Pierce and has already seen success in the information technology industry.
He was originally hired as an intern at his current job. He is now a full-time employee, with benefits and a 401K.
While he’s quite accomplished in school and work (he has a 3.5 GPA and will graduate this spring) James has found social interactions to be rather difficult.
Growing sleepy at random hours sometimes prevents him from staying up late like other young people, and many times he just doesn’t feel like participating in social events.
Dating has proved to be rather arduous as well for James, who finds that girls either care too much, or not at all, about his condition.
“That’s the hardest part of maintaining a relationship,” he said. “Some girls get mad about all the problems I have, or if I don’t feel like staying out.”
James has also experienced some discrimination as well. He once dated a girl whose mother was convinced he would not make a fit parent.
James said, “Her mother put all these ideas in her head, like if we ever had kids I might go crazy one day and kill them.”
James finds fault with the movies for many of the stereotypes surrounding mental illness. “Especially the way they portray schizophrenics,” he said. “It’s just ridiculous.”
He is also insulted the way the word “schizo” is used so loosely to describe anyone displaying bizarre behavior.
Fortunately, Mike has not experienced any discrimination concerning his OCD. He finds that a lot of people are interested in what he has and want to know more about it. While he does not openly discuss it, he has no problem answering questions about OCD.
“If someone asks why I’m doing what I’m doing, I’ll explain,” he said.
Andrew, 25, felt depressed most of his young life and his symptoms became more severe over time.
In 2002, he was diagnosed with Bipolar-2 disorder. People with bipolar disorder suffer with dramatic mood swings that go from extreme manic “highs” to depressive “lows,” with no discernible pattern.
A biology major in his third year at Pierce, Andrew’s performance in school is as variable as his moods. He has made the Dean’s List twice, but as he is currently off of his medication, he recently failed a class.
Regardless of his condition, Andrew does not seek any special attention in school.
“As a student, it is my responsibility to be in the correct state of mind to attend, participate and pass my courses,” he explained.
As the mental health crisis rises among college students, many organizations have set out to help do something about the problem. The Jed Foundation was founded in 2000 by Phil and Donna Satow after their 20-year-old son Jed committed suicide.
The foundation’s mission is to lower the suicide rate among college students.
In 2004, President George W. Bush signed the Garret Lee Smith Memorial Act, named for the son of Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore. Garret committed suicide in 2003.
The act authorizes the spending of $82 million for youth suicide prevention programs at college campus mental health centers.
Pierce is taking steps to help its own students with mental health problems. The Special Services office was started in 1974 and has since grown, now providing services to roughly 900 students every semester, including those with psychological issues and ADD/ADHD. In addition, students can make an appointment to see a psychologist at the Student Health Center.
Mike has found that his teachers are willing to take a little extra time to work with him if he’s willing to learn.
James prefers to work with his psychiatrist and get the help he needs from his close friends and family.
Both credit their families for being open and supportive of their needs.
James explained that “being treated differently would be the worst thing for me. Some people judge you right off the bat and act like they don’t want to touch you with a 10-foot pole.”
According to the Surgeon General’s report on mental health, stereotypes are one of the main reasons that young people don’t seek the mental health support they need.
It is Andrew’s belief that stereotypes surrounding mental illness are less about discrimination and more about misunderstanding.
“A person who is not suffering from an illness can only understand the information that is given to them,” he said.
According to the Jed Foundation, suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students.
But there is hope.
With prevention programs being put in place on college campuses nationwide, and organizations working to erase the stigma surrounding mental illness, many students are finding the confidence to be open about their diseases and seek the help that they need.
The students at Pierce who are dealing with mental illness are proof that with the support and understanding of their peers and community, it is possible to live a productive, happy and healthy life.
For assistance with mental illness symptoms, students can contact a school counselor or a mental health worker.
Assistance is available right now by calling the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK).
*Names in this story have been changed
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