Following national trend, USC sees ‘disturbing’ increase of mental health issues
As COVID-19 fades into the rear view for vaccinated college students, students are facing a new crisis.
At the University of South Carolina, for example, students are reporting increased instances of depression and anxiety following the pandemic, said Jason Caskey, USC’s top health official.
Perhaps most concerning: The percentage of survey respondents who said they attempted suicide in the last 12 months increased from 1% to 2%, Caskey said. Those numbers are based on the National College Health Assessment, which roughly 30% of students participate in, Caskey said.
“We’re calling this the pandemic after the pandemic,” Caskey said.
USC Interim President Harris Pastides called the rise in mental health issues “disturbing” and said “We’re doing a great job with a difficult problem,” but “we can and will do more.”
In recent years, USC’s students, athletes and administrators have spent money and used their public platforms to draw attention to the issue of mental health on campus, whether through school programs, public advocacy or student government.
USC is not unique in seeing an increase in mental health issues following COVID-19. A widely cited September 2020 study from the Journal of Medical Internet Research found students reported disruptions to their sleep and eating schedules, faced additional financial stresses and increased social isolation because of the pandemic. Other surveys have found similar results.
The pandemic has fueled increased heavy drinking throughout the country, but USC students’ alcohol usage has “stayed pretty consistent across the board,” Caskey said.
USC offers multiple programs for students to receive counseling, book appointments, text a crisis line and more, but sometimes the multiple resources means students “don’t even know where to start,” Caskey said.
Students in need of help after work hours can call 803-777-5223 to speak with a counselor; they can reach out confidentially to a crisis line by texting HELLO to 741741. Links and access information on specialized programs such as substance abuse recovery, wellness coaching, group counseling and more are available on USC’s website.
One of the trends that has been clear, however, is that students are less likely to use walk-in appointments and more likely to prefer virtual appointments, Caskey said.
“Telehealth is where we can do the most good because most patients who come in don’t need a physical examination,” Caskey said.
If you or someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide, or is considering suicide, please call or text the 24/7, toll-free Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800) 273-TALK (8255).
