Mental Health Crisis at Higher Education Institutions: A Conceptual Review

Introduction

Concerns about the mental health of university students have spread throughout the world even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Numerous studies that looked into students' mental health found common mental disorders such as addiction and substance use disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD), anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, depression, suicide, self-injury, and sleeping disorders (Liu et al., 2019; Reddy et al., 2018; Saleh et al., 2017; Pedrelli et al., 2015). Indeed, many mental health disorders, including depression and substance abuse disorder, tobacco usage, emotional abuse, unwanted sexual encounters, academic performance stress, relationships, and financial, emotional, and social issues begin during the period of transition to university. Other authors Manwell et al. (2015) and Patel et al. (2013) reported that a substantial number of students experienced negative emotions such as fear and grief as well as tension and suicidal ideation. Similarly, McPhillips (2023) confirmed that mental health struggles triggered more university students to consider dropping out and terminating study programmes prematurely. The students who partake in the McPhillips study cited personal mental health as the reason for feeling overwhelmed, far more often than others like financial considerations and difficulty of coursework. The National College Health Assessment (NCHA) (2015); however, states that 18-25 ages are disproportionately affected. Barrable et al. (2018) found that 80% of respondents had experienced stress, 70% had experienced a lack of energy or motivation, and 55% reported feelings of anxiety. Causes for such negative feelings can be found mainly in academic responsibilities, such as course deadlines (65%), and exam pressures (54%). An overview of the most prevalent mental health issues among university students, including anxiety and depression, suicide, and emotional stress are provided in this chapter, with an emphasis on their effects and associated factors.The next section discusses the background of the study.