Books, bags and mental health: A COLLEGE STUDENT’S CHECKLIST

UWS offers more support at Pruitt Center

BY MADELEINE SURGES

PHOTOS BY AYLA ANDROSKY

For college students living away from home for the first time, or even if they’ve been away for years, gaining independence comes with new stressors. Paying bills, managing classes, relationships and more can result in anxiety, depression and other mental health disorders.

All this can cloud the excitement that college can bring. Sure, stress is a normal part of life, but it’s important to recognize when things have escalated past a normal level, experts say.

A recent study by the National Center for Education Statistics showed that about 19.9 million students started college this fall. Of those, one in five struggles with mental illness. With that many students affected, college counseling centers can be too crowded to provide timely services.

Randy Barker is facing this rising issue. He’s the interim director for mindfulness and well-being at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. He said college strives to educate people about using mindfulness and other natural techniques to improve mental health.

“We became interested in the science behind mindfulness and wanted to implement it into our school,” he said. “We are living in a stressful world with lots of stigmas around mental health, and instead of relying on reactive therapy, we want to try to prevent it from happening.”

Mental health disorders are not limited to students either. Teachers, faculty and other staff members are just as susceptible, but often overlooked when trying to make appointments with mental health advisers. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death in people ages 15-34, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As of 2015, the average student graduates with about $37,000 in loans. This forces many to work multiple jobs. Collections for loans can start as little as 30 days after graduation.

Workers at UWS set out to discover how to help. Becky Pruitt, an alumnus of the school, and her husband, Doug, provided money to two groups of the mindfulness board to attend The Greater Good Science Center Summer Institute for Educators in Berkeley, Calif. One group at UWS attended in 2015, and another the following year. There, the staff continued to learn about the importance of mindfulness and well-being, and they knew they wanted to open a center that provided the education, resources and activities that could be used by many.

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Mindfulness is a state of awareness and focusing on what is happening in the moment. Although it sounds simple, many struggle with staying in the present for more than a few seconds before their minds wander into the future or into worry, Barker said.

The Pruitts’ generosity allowed UWS to move forward with creating and developing the center, Barker said.

“They are very passionate about helping people grow personally and professionally and believe in the benefits of practicing mindfulness, and continuing to learn, regardless of position,” he said.

UWS graduate Suzie Baer struggled with mental health issues as a student.

“Before I knew what to call them, I had panic attacks and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety at age 14,” she said. “I believe I was better able to discuss and write about my mental health more freely with my classmates and professors at UWS because I was an online student.”

Like many, Baer felt more comfortable sharing her experiences through online schooling. “I don’t know if I would have been as open with experiences and opinions in a classroom setting because I would fear the judgment of classmates. I would likely read into body language ... even if no verbal judgment was passed,” she said.

Claire Graves, a junior at UWS, also has struggled with depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders.

“College has helped me talk about my mental health issues, but it has also been one of the sources of those issues,” she said. “There is always room for improvement, but I am glad there has been progression with this issue.”

As with many students, Graves has found herself working part time while maxing out on school credits.

“In my education classes, we stress the importance of leading a balanced life, which can be hard when students are working and have a full academic semester,” Graves said. “I think the Pruitt Center will be used and appreciated.”

With the number of students who struggle, UWS hopes to see the Pruitt Center as a gathering hub and a place to relax.

“We want to have drop-in times to practice mindfulness, as well as focus on sleep exercises, mental health and other workshops,” Barker said.

Anyone can help the people they love improve their mental health, experts say. Educate yourself on what mental health disorders look like and how they may present themselves in college situations, work environments and home life. Mindfulness can help people to stay in the present, which may help eliminate stress for future decisions, especially during class time.

“We want this education and science behind mindfulness to have a ripple effect throughout our neighboring communities,” Barker said.