Taylor Medford

Professor Malcolm Campbell

UWRITE 1103
26 April 2016
Dont Panic: Anxiety On the Rise For College Students
Imagine having the sensation of feeling like youre dizzy, sweating, having a racing
heart, chest pain, labored breathing, shaking, and numbness (Fawcett) all because your teacher
called on you in class to answer a question or read aloud. This is what its like to have an anxiety
disorder, and it is a rising issue on college campuses all over the nation. The dictionary definition
of anxiety is the distress or uneasiness of the mind caused by fear or danger of misfortune,
(anxiety) but it can mean much more than that for people who suffer from anxiety severely.
Anxiety is a normal human characteristic that helps someone stay alert and focused in situations
that cause anxiety and can potentially keep them out of danger. Its when anxiety starts to
interfere with relationships and activities that it can be a real issue (Smith, Melinda, Lawrence
Robinson, and Jeanne Segal).
A recent study done by the American Psychological Association found that 95 percent of
counseling centers on college campuses surveyed that psychological problems are a rising
concern for their students. This survey also found that anxiety presented the biggest concern for
college students which was 41.6 percent, closely followed by depression at 36.4 percent,
(College Students Mental Health Is a Growing Concern, Survey Finds). According to an
annual national survey done last year by the American College Health Association, one out of six
college students has been diagnosed with or given treatment for anxiety (Hoffman).

So why are college students having such intense anxiety? Well, causes of anxiety can
range from academic pressure at an early age, overprotective parents, and obsessive engagement
on social media, according to Jan Hoffman, author for The New York Times. Other contributing
factors for anxiety in college students have to do with experiencing first-time things such as: new
lifestyle, friends, roommates, different cultures, and new ways of thinking. Its when students
cannot necessarily handle these new firsts that they begin to struggle more, according to
Tartakovsky. Basically, most colleges students, especially ones attending a university, are going
out on their own for the first time and have to adapt to their new lifestyle.
A lot of these young adults came right out of high school and have greatly relied on their
parents or guardians for necessities, money, and other things. Parents have been responsible for
them and also have been there to guide them in the right directions. New college students are
having to learn how to manage on their own budget if they are not fully financially supported by
their parents and they are having to think for themselves and try to make the right choices. The
sudden change and pressure and inability to adapt can lead to anxiety in that and in other
situations.
Normal anxiety can be dealt with easier, but the development of anxiety disorders can
cause real issues. There are many different types of disorders like generalized anxiety disorder,
obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social
anxiety disorder (Smith, Melinda, Lawrence, Robinson, and Jeanne Segal).
Generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, is usually diagnosed in people who are chronic
worrywarts and feel anxious all of the time, even if they do not know why they are feeling that
way. GAD is typically accompanied by physical symptoms such as insomnia, restlessness,
fatigue, and an upset stomach (Smith, Melinda, Lawrence Robinson, Jeanne Segal). GAD is

gradually developed throughout someones life cycle. Exact causes of it are unknown, however,
some evidence has been found that biological factors, family background, and particularly
stressful life experiences can contribute to the development of this disorder (Generalized Anxiety
Disorder (GAD)). As the name states, GAD is the most general of anxiety disorders, meaning
that it is like having regular anxiety but people experience it nearly everyday in extreme amounts
and it interferes with them having a normal life.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, has characteristics of thoughts and behaviors
that are nearly impossible to control. People with OCD might have obsessions such as a constant
worry that they forgot to turn off the oven. They might also have compulsions that are
uncontrollable like washing their hands over and over (Smith, Melinda, Lawrence Robinson,
Jeanne Segal). One particular sign that someone has OCD is their tendency for perfectionism
especially when it comes to organization. They want it to feel right, look right, and be
symmetrical. People tend to organize when they have OCD because it actually helps them relieve
their stress (10 Signs You May Have Obsessive-compulsive Disorder).
OCD is commonly associated with an extreme fear of dirt and germs or a strong desire
for perfection. However, most people do not realize that OCD symptoms can involve upsetting,
shameful, and disturbing thoughts about ones sexuality. People that suffer with OCD and have
never questioned their sexual orientation can have high levels of anxiety over it. The anxiety
comes from excessive doubts, urges, and images that contradict their sexual orientation. They
might fear that they are a closet homosexual person, they worry about a change in their
orientation, and they can experience anxiety over others thinking that they are an LGBTQ,
according to the Louisville OCD Clinic.

Homosexuality and the LGBTQ community are becoming widely more accepted in
society, but there are still people and institutions that discriminate against them. This fear that
OCD sufferers have over their sexual orientation is probably crossed with social anxiety
disorder.
Social anxiety disorder is when someone suffers with a crippling fear of being seen
negatively by others and being embarrassed in public. People with social anxiety disorder are
typically associated with being extremely shy (Smith).
Social anxiety is a very common type of anxiety for a college student to experience. In
college, students are in social settings many times every day whether they are in their dorm,
dining hall, class, or anywhere on campus. Outside of school, they might get together with
friends or go to a party where they do not know a lot of people. Something as little as speaking in
class can cause someone with social anxiety disorder extreme anxiety and discomfort. Some
suggested ways for college students to better deal with their social anxiety is by developing
relationships with their professors, making sure their friends know about it and can be
supportive, having a dorm or off campus apartment feel like home and being able to be
comfortable in it, taking time to relax, and controlling the consumption of alcohol, according to
Borges.
Panic disorder is when someone experiences repeating unexpected panic attacks (Smith).
Panic attacks can sneak up on someone out of the blue, however, they can also be triggered by
hormonal and chemical imbalance, caffeine, alcohol, drugs, or lack of sleep (Fawcett). Debra
Kissen, clinical director of the Light on Anxiety Treatment Center of Chicago argues that
families with high anxiety levels have a greater likelihood that children will develop panic,
(qtd. in Fawcett).

When someone has a phobia of something, they have an exaggerated or unrealistic fear of
a particular object, activity, or a situation that likely has no real danger. The most common types
of phobias are the fear of animals, flying, and heights. Most of the time, people with phobias will
go out of their way to avoid the object or situation, and that only makes the phobia stronger and
less likely for them to be able to overcome it (Smith, Melinda, Lawrence Robinson, Jeanne
Segal).
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, occurs after someone experiences a traumatic or
life-threatening event. The symptoms of PTSD include flashbacks and nightmares about the
event causing the disorder, hyper vigilance, easy to startle, withdrawing from people and society,
and avoiding situations that remind someone of the event (Smith, Melinda, Lawrence Robinson,
Jeanne Segal).
Another form of anxiety is test anxiety, which is a type of performance anxiety, and it can
affect a students performance in school. Test anxiety develops from a fear of failure, lack of
preparation, and a history of poor test grades, (Test Anxiety). Many individuals link their selfworth with how well they do on a test, and therefore, they get anxiety when it comes to taking
tests because they want to feel worthy and good about themselves. There is also a lot of
competition and pressure on students to make good grades.
Gregg Henriques, who has a Ph.D. in psychology and the theory of knowledge, exclaims
that the college student mental health crisis has many different causes that correlate with
anxiety. He states that one major contributing factor is that we are in the Age of Anxiety, and
of depression as well. This is coming from a rapid evolution of technology, social change, an
excessive amount of information, and an environmental mismatch. Henriques explains that
environmental mismatch evolves from the difference in the world we live in and the world we

evolved to live in. The world we live in sits in front of a computer and works with technology
every day, and the world we evolved to live in was a close-knit, hunter gatherer community. The
greater the mismatch becomes, the more the environment will cause stress and be less likely to
meet the fundamental needs of people. Humans first evolved to live one way, and the rate of
change from the way we have evolved to live to the way we live now, especially in America, is
very rapid. Technology is constantly changing and improving, and we have gone from doing
activities in life as means of survival, such as hunting and gathering that Henriques mentioned, to
doing more jobs that deal with technology. Now, we can get into a car, drive to a grocery store
and pay money for food. This is an example of how we have evolved and adapted to the change
from how we were originally evolved to live.
Henriques has come to the conclusion that while the world is hyper-connected and has
many opportunities, it creates chaos, flux and danger, which is like a recipe for stress.
Additionally, a seemingly endless range of choices and information can overwhelm and confuse
people. This can ultimately cause anxiety, especially for societys Millenials.
Millenials have been given a ton of freedom to construct their own lives, as well as
making their own moral decisions (Henriques). Society has not always been this open, as lives
used to be constructed for people by their parents and other authority depending on the different
influences that are in their lives, such as religion. From what can be observed in todays society,
parents are not as strict as they used to be and have become more accepting to the choices that
their children are making. For example, the nation has started to become more welcome to
tattoos, piercings, having children before marriage, and sexual orientation. It tends to be
Millenials that are fighting for acceptance with these certain issues, and they are becoming more
normal in every day lives.

Economic and financial pressures can also cause stress and anxiety in colleges students.
In todays world, not only is there a crisis of inequality (Henriques), but college students are
graduating and are unable to find jobs that relate to their degree. They are having to settle for
other jobs just so that they can get by. On top of that, many of them have student loans that they
have to start paying off. Without a proper job, it is difficult for them to be able to pay it off on
time. This pressure and stress can take a toll on students and cause bad anxiety, especially about
their future.
A lot of the time, anxiety is accompanied by depression, which is another major mental
health disorder rising among college students. The 2014 National College Health Assessment
survey, done by the American College Health Association, found that 21.8 percent of students
documented that anxiety had interfered with their academic performance in the past 12 months.
That same survey also found that 13.5 percent documented depression as interfering with their
academic performance (Brown). Anxiety and depression did not just interfere with a fraction of
these students in academics, but the results found other surprising statistics. Fifty-four percent of
students that took the survey stated that they felt overwhelming amounts of anxiety, 32.6 stated
that their depression made it difficult to function, and 1.3 percent had actually attempted suicide.
Eighty-six percent of students surveyed that they felt overwhelmed by all they had to do, which
is an umbrella that can cause anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns (Brown).
Treatment of anxiety and other mental health disorders can come in different forms,
ranging from medication, therapy, stress, and relaxation techniques. Starting with a therapist or
talking to a doctor is a good start for treatment, which can lead to prescribed medication to help
take control of anxiety. Some techniques that are suggested in order to relax and relieve stress
and anxiety is practicing yoga, meditation, and acupuncture.

Kava is a type of treatment that is not well known in society. It is a type of plant that
comes from the South Pacific. It has been found to be effective in treating anxiety and improving
mood. It also can have a positive impact on treating depression. However, a doctor at Saint Louis
University found that it had no effect on GAD (Complementary & Alternative Treatment). Kava
is best known for relaxation effects, and elevating mood, well-being, and contentment. In many
different clinical studies, Kava was found to be effective in treating symptoms of anxiety. It was
found to be more effective than placebo treatment, improving symptoms after only a week, and
be more effective than antianxiety medication. According to one of the studies, Kava causes a
similar effect as Valium, which changes brain wave activity. However, research on Kava has
recently decreased due to reports of liver toxicity associated with the plant (Ehrlich).
Anxiety is not only coming from and affecting students lives while theyre in class or
working on school work, but also their lives outside of class. Anxiety is on the rise and is
becoming a crisis, which is why people, especially college students, need to be aware of it.
Anxiety is a term loosely used by many people, which is why it doesnt seem like a big deal
when someone talks about having it. People that have anxiety should talk to their doctor about it
to figure out if it needs to be treated. They can also go to their college counseling centers, which
typically offer free counseling sessions. Getting help is important, and starting with the
counseling center that campuses have to offer is a good start and can really help students that
suffer with bad anxiety or anxiety disorders learn how to calm themselves down and be able to
go about their lives with techniques to control their anxiety.

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