Literature Review 1

Students Community Mental Health Issues: A Review of Literatures

Job Saucedo Estala

University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP)

Literature Review 2

Abstract

During the college, students tested their multiple abilities, knowledge, self-learning and

multitasking. But unfortunately, most of the times, school home works and projects, work, and other

activities over passed students. In one way or another the quality of completing all the tasks in the

best way possible, greatly reduces. And when students rich a high level of failure, frustration and

resignation, began developing a type of mental issue (in some circumstances the individual can

present different types of mental health issue at the same time).

This literature review helps to try to understand why students present a mental illness during college

and what exact issues students present in most of the time, but also, emphasize in the treatments and

alternative solution students can use in order to fight against a mental illness. Adding that with the

use of a survey method, this literature helps to visualize the increasing of stressed, anxious and

depressed students coursing college without receiving a proper help or treatment.

Literature Review 3

Students Community Mental Health Issues: A Review of Literatures

The human brain is the central organ of the human nervous system and with the spinal cord

makes up the central nervous system. The brain controls all the functions of the body, interprets

information from the sense organs, and embodies the essence of mind, soul, intelligence, creativity,

emotion and memory (MAYFIELD: Brains & Spine, 2016). The human brain is the largest brain of

the vertebrates having a relation of the body size; it compounds about a 2 % of the humans body

weight.

Approximately 20 % of the blood flowing from the heart is pumped to the brain, although as

previously mentioned, the brain accounts for only 2 % of the whole bodys mass, and it uses a 20 %

of all the oxygen human breathe (Brain HQ, s.f.).

Knowing the previous information, it can be inferred that the brain is one of the most important and

valuable organ form the human body and it is in charge of many functions working with the spinal

cord. When the brain starts working in a different way form the usual being affected from biological

and/or environmental factors, it starts developing an issue until reach the point of converting the issue

in mental illness. A mental illness (also referred as issue) is a disease that is chromic disruption in

the neutral circuits of the brain that causes mild to severe disturbances in thoughts and/or behavior

from an individual, causing an inability to cope ordinary demands and routines (Mental Health

America, 2017).

The percentages of students in college presenting a mental health issue or a mental illness are

increasing and the numbers of students getting help are in a low rate. To understand the reasons of

students presenting with a major frequency a type of mental issue, why they are not asking for help

and how an issue can be treat and help, is a key piece to considerate the review of the following 4

questions:
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1. What type of mental health issue do students from college present?

2. How is the feel of struggle with a mental health issue?

3. Do personal strengths help to fight a mental health issue?

4. Which are the best treatments in order to help a student with a mental health issue?

These 4 questions will narrow the purpose of the literature review by providing a background,

explanation and examples about the different types of mental health issues, how they affect students

in college life and which are the best possible treatments to fight them.

What type of mental health issue do students from college present?

Experts claim that some types of mental health issue that the students present are anxiety,

depression, phobias, eating disorder problems, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder

(OCD), and disorders caused by the alcohol or other drug use.

According to the literatures, there is not an exact number of causes that can lead to a mental health

disorder, because it can be caused by combination and mixture of different factor such as a biological,

psychological and environmental. Reaching a high level of excessive stress caused by a situation or

by a series of events can produce in a person a mental health problem. Cancer, diabetes and heart

diseases are physical but also emotional and psychological mental illness.

According to the Center of Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH), anxiety has over passed depressive

symptoms and became the primary mental health disorder presented in the general U.S. population

and with an increase in college students (Levine &Stock, p.9). Anxiety disorders are diagnosed when

worry and the emotion of fear is predominant in an individuals life affecting its daily functioning.

Anxiety manifests in different ways such as; feeling fear in specific and/or limited particular

situations, when presenting a high level of it (high level of anxiety) causing a panic disorder, referring
Literature Review 5

to situations in which the individual have many feelings of terror occurring suddenly or in a repeatedly

way without a warning or an identifiable trigger, and when featuring an intense worry and concern

(Stock & Heidi, 2016).

Depression is diagnosed in 7 % of the general population, 9 % of the college-aged adults, in a 33 %

of students with functions difficulties, and in a 62 % of students presenting sadness (Stock & Levine,

p.11). Feeling sad or with a low mood are signs of depression, but sometimes they are normal

responses to life events. The difference between depression and sadness, is when the individuals

mood has lasted for a period of 2 weeks or longer and when the individual experimented a feeling of

anger and irritability, siding the depression.

Eating disorders can be presented in an individual by many reasons, within which are: dealing with

shame and stigma, the assumption that eating and body image issues exist only in certain populations

and diagnostic criteria that lead to eating disorder diagnoses only at severe levels of distress and

impairment.

The bipolar disorder causes a periodic cycle of motional states between manic and depressive phases

of which can inferred; extreme activity, lethargy and sadness. Schizophrenia is defined as a lack of

ability to distinguish reality causing paranoia and believes in elaborate conspiracies. And the

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is mainly characterized by an inability of

remaining focused on a task, impulsive behavior, and excessive activity or an inability to be sit

(Gonzalez, 2017).

The following graph (Figure 1) is portraying the relation between different types of mental

health disorders and the quantity of college students presenting them. A study realized by Kressler

et al. observing students during the young adulthood in the United States (Considerations, 2015).
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Percentage % of Students Presenting A Type Of Mental Health

Issue
College Students

1400.00%
1200.00%
Percentage %

1000.00%
800.00%
600.00% 1190.00%
950.00%
400.00% 800%
200.00% 500%
320.00% 160.00%
0.00%

Figure 1

How is the feel of struggle with a mental health issue?

As previously mentioned, people presenting a type or kind of mental disorder is increasing

very significantly in college students. And is an issue that the majority of the students do not ask for

help and do not know what are the alternatives solutions for that mental health issues.

According to a BuzzFeed video presenting a social study with several interviews made to 10 different

people struggling or have over passed a mental health issue, Buzz Feed portrays to the audience the

different opinions of how feels living with a mental health disorder. One representation about

depression form the video was describing the disorder as trying to turn-on a car without gas fuel (Buzz

Feed Video, 0:18) referring to having the desire of making things but being incapable of. Another

interpretation from depression was by having a weight inside the body with a increase in size and

weight while traveling downwards to the body, referring to being incapable of living life in a normal
Literature Review 7

way because of the weight that is been fighting. Anxiety is being interpreted by an interviewee as a

lot of bubbles with different problems and worries pushing the individuals head (Buzz Feed Video,

1:09) referring to a difficulty in thinking in the best way possible. An interviewee from the video

explain that having the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (ODC) is like feeling an open key that

continuously and repeatedly is dripping small drops of water causing irrational thoughts and losing

the sensation of the imperfect reality (Unknonw, 2015).

According to a primary research, using survey as the main method, 50 students from the University

of Texas at El Paso were asked about the knowing of the existence of a mental health issue, have

presented or suffered stress, anguish, anxiety or depression, and if they (UTEPs students) are

struggling with a disorder will ask for an expert or professional help. And the results were the

following:

Survey of UTEP's Students

100
90
80
70
Percentage %

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Knowledge about a Mental Presenting a Mental Health Asking for Expert or
Health Disorder Disorder Professional Help

Student Yes Student No

Literature Review 8

Do personal strengths help to fight a mental health issue?

The concepts of a positive mental health during youth involve a recognition that well-being

and mental illness are related but in different dimensions (Keyes 2006; Suldo & Shaffer, 2008).

Having a consideration of the relation between members, friends, classmates and teachers and having

safety and security, with youth high subjective well-being often experience low stress.

Classification resulted from the Values in Action (VIA) project includes 24 positive traits that are

valued and grounded in moral principles. These 24 character strengths are organized into six main

virtues; wisdom and knowledge, courage, humanity, justice, temperance and transcendence (M,

Brtittany V., & Elizabeth, 2018). Open-mindedness is most commonly defined as a frequent tendency

to examine an issue from all sides, involving the category of wisdom and knowledge. And the

strengths of all types are tied to greater positive affect and/ or life satisfaction.

Which are the best treatments in order to help a student with a mental

health issue?

The American Psychiatric Association (APA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC) provide

evidence-based recommendations for a possible assessment and treatment via online, practice

guidelines and related documents and books maintained by the Department of health and human

Services. Considerations are relevant for the treatment of both, traditional and non-traditional

students. Treating traditional students, is important the consideration of the students parents because

some of them still being dependent from their parents. Inviting the parents to attend some of the

treatment therapies is helpful because they provide support and facilitate the improvement of the
Literature Review 9

students, parents provide a feedback and help the student to fight in a fast and better way he mental

health disorder.

The treatment for non-traditional students is different because of the many factors the they deal with,

of which can be mention; the academic responsibilities, work commitments or family demands.

Therefore, this type of students should receive a more extended help with flexible hours, a service for

finances and, if needed, a service for couple counseling or family therapy.

Other strategy in order to provide a good-quality help or advice to students presenting a mental health

illness, is that all students affairs professional should learn about the types, causes, symptoms and

effects of the mental disorders, in order to successfully promote mental health care.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this literary review has analyzed different amount of data and sources that has

answered many questions in concerning about the mental health issues (disorders) that college

students present. The current situation of the is increasing in high levels without providing the correct

and punctual advice or help to the struggled students. It is important to pay attention to

symptomatology of the disorders and identify the students and provide the best and help.
Literature Review 10

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Literature Review 11

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