By Gillian Baker / Full360 Reporter

One in four students struggle with their mental health in college.

Students may be feeling lonely, or pressured with a big course load. They may hide that hurt, as they feel the issue they face isn’t necessarily “big” or it doesn’t “matter” in the grand scheme of things.

But national studies and mental health professionals at Delaware Valley University offer some guidance on tackling one of the biggest mental health challenges: loneliness.

According to Dr. Matt Mutchler, DelVal’s Chair of Counseling and Psychology, loneliness is especially common in first years, where students are now experiencing “a whole new life in a new place.” 

Instead of letting the feeling consume every part of you, Dr. Mutchler said students can combat this by:

• Reaching out to people already in our lives, even old friends
• Realizing and acknowledging that the feeling is normal
• Trying new things, finding new people. Take on everything even if it ends up being not your thing
• Reaching out for counseling if the struggle feels unbearable

He said that people need to acknowledge their feelings. 

“Sometimes, you’re going to be lonely, and there’s nothing to do about it in that moment… If you’re feeling lonely, you can’t just magically change it. Allow yourself to feel it.”

— Dr. Mutchler

College students undergo a lot, and at one point, most if not all of them have probably found themselves struggling in one way or another. Whether it be feeling lonely, taking on a big courseload, finding your group, or dealing with change, college can be a bigger step than we sometimes anticipate. A lot of times, students feel these issues aren’t necessarily “big” or “matter” in the grand scheme of things, and want to keep these feelings internal. 

Handling emotional feelings on your own time can be very beneficial, but are people really handling it? Does everyone truly know how to tackle this experience and better their wellbeing? According to Hopkins Medicine, an estimated 26%, or 1 in 4 adults ages 18 and over suffer from a mental illness. NAMI supports this statement, analyzing that 60% of this demographic let their mental illness go ignored and untreated. DelVal’s chair of counseling psychology and employee at a practice in Doylestown, gave some insight into how we can help ourselves, by ourselves.

“Sometimes, you’re going to be lonely, and there’s nothing to do about it in that moment… If you’re feeling lonely, you can’t just magically change it. Allow yourself to feel it,” said Dr. Mutchler. 

One of the main reasons college students feel they may be suffering from a mental illness is loneliness. This is especially true in first years, where they are now experiencing a whole new life in a new place. Instead of letting the feeling consume every part of you, Dr. Mutchler provided some ways we can combat this, including:

• Reaching out to people already in our lives, even old friends
• Realize and acknowledge that the feeling is normal
• Try new things, find new people. Take on everything even if it ends up being not your thing
• Reach out for counseling if the struggle feels unbearable

A general concern amongst college students is why they feel they cannot express the emotions they are taking on, and ultimately keep it inside. Not recognizing these feelings or blowing them off is a lot for anybody to take on, which is generally why students experience a bigger struggle. Some people may not think to seek help or make small changes due to the stigma of shame surrounding mental health, or other outside things.

“Shame [might be] associated with mental illness. A person might be afraid of being labeled as “crazy” or being mocked by their peers, so they suffer silently. Counselors and therapists value privacy very highly and there are laws that protect clients, but that nervousness may still be there,” Dr. Mutchler commented. 

While it may be easy for some to reach out and think everyone else can do it too, everyone is uniquely different, and that includes your mental health. Undergoing more stress and social experiences, students are some of the top people to feel these emotions. Counseling Psychology student Jessica Williamson (junior) commented on these experiences, giving some insight from the view of a student.

“Coming into college is extremely different from the highschool life you’re used to. Whether you came from a small school or a giant one, the transition brings new beginnings to everyone,” WIlliamson said.

It can be a lot to take on all of the new things offered once you reach higher education. Courses likely require more, there’s extra curriculars most students want to take on, and once it’s “pay for your education”, the goals become higher. 
So that everyone can experience new things while also keeping their mental health in check, it’s helpful to remember the resources you have and practices you can do by yourself. Students at DelVal can find help on the schools website (delval.edu) where you can locate counseling sources. Additionally, anyone can set up a free on-campus counseling appointment by emailing counseling@delval.edu.