1 in 3 freshers show symptoms of mental health disorder

I do wonder about the self-diagnoses of this stuff. Having a shite day is not equivalent with depression (having several consecutive shite days is not necessarily indicative of depression), but it strikes me that a lot of young people think that it is. Nobody is happy all of the time.

What makes you say that? (just curious)

My conversations with them, mainly. I've played in bands with young lads that were guilty of it. 'I was depressed thinking about that gig'. Really, they just felt bad after a grim showing. I don't think it's necessarily the same.

Do you think this is just a use of what is (to you and me) serious terminology with meaningful implications, but to the average young person who is surrounded by discussion about suffering from MH, this sort of language is commonplace? Basically an exaggeration of language.

Because I think it's much more that than people genuinely believing they need/deserve medical help for depression.

Yes, and I worry that the talk around it then becomes a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy in terms of a young person perhaps overstating the case when asked 'have you experienced symptom a?'.

If they need the help, then clearly they need the help, and that's how it is. In such a case, a stat like this would be awful and would indeed indicate a public health problem of some magnitude

Yeah I can understand the self-fulfilling prophecy idea. If you use this language so casually about yourself eventually you brain might get hooked on the idea and you begin an inward spiral.

However, I do think the truth lies halfway in between. To casually say it in conversation is one thing. To actually say you're suffering in a survey is going a bit further. And I genuinely believe far more people suffer in silence without getting the help (whether their mental condition is extremely poor or just needs minor treatment) than those who are accessing support.

Though I do have to ask; is intellect and the inquisitive nature that is likely abundant in most students directly correlated with mental health? Are students more depressed because they're smart enough to be subject to existential, social or other relevant crises?

I do wonder.

95% of it is caused by pre-exisiting misbelief of mental health issues and alcohol abuse. How are you gonna sit and cry about your anxiety and depression whilst getting smashed? Alcohol is a depressant, quit complaining and glamourising mental health issues for the attention it brings, ask yourself what have YOU done for YOUR mental well being? have you created a good lifestyle? do you take care of your body? do you do excercises to increase positive functionality of the mind such as mindfulness and meditation? do you look for inspiring stories and work to create your own? you're one of 8 billion people, quit asking for special treatment and making it hard for the 5% of people with real issues. I find the people with genuine struggles are the ones who don't complain often and work on themselves and their lives constantly.

This is not to say that talking to sympathetic third party doesn’t help at all. I just don’t see how a dozen 50 minute sessions with a so-called expert – whom you are unlikely to see again – helps a person to feel significantly better.

I don't know about the different types of therapies offered, but CBT actually modifies people's behaviour. So it's not making you feel better per se, but your thinking gets altered if you're responsive to and engage with the therapy, which consequently improves things.

With conditions such as schizophrenia, anorexia and OCD, I think analysing thoughts definitely helps. But in my view, therapy – especially the type delivered by the NHS – has little to no effect for most people who are chronically unhappy and dissatisfied with life.
You’re better off turning to realm of literature than the so-called “mental health services” when it comes to seeking guidance in regard to the problems of human existence.

According to a new a international study, one in three university level students report symptoms of a mental health disorder, such as major depression, mania, generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, alcohol use disorder and substance use disorder.

You can read more about it here

Do these findings surprise you or do they sound like what you've seen or experienced? Are universities doing enough to support students, particularly in their first year of university?