When University Students Need a Therapist

Many high school students think life at campus is one of the best one can ever enjoy during the education journey but this has never been true for all university students.

A number of University students are faced with emotional health issues and mental disorders that negatively affect their academic performance.

According to a study done by Nsereko Norman David on Prevalence, types, distribution and associations of psychosocial problems among university students in Uganda , it is noted that students living in off- campus hostels, having chronic medical conditions, those with a previous history of mental health problems and those who perceived their health as poor/fair were at a higher risk of psycho-social problems.

These findings confirm the need for avenues that can best address the students’ psycho-social problems before the situation worsens, one of which is the need for a therapist or psychologist.

Psychological counseling can help with many of these issues. Therapy can aid University students who have problems like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder. One can also opt for online therapy.

Signs to take note of: Some signs that the university student may need psychological counseling include:

• Continuous feelings of hopelessness
• An inability to concentrate, think clearly, or make decisions
• A tendency to overreact to situations
• Unexplained drop in performance
• Persistent worry, anxiety, or fearfulness
• Alcohol or drug use
• Taking part in violent acts such as university strikes and demostrations
• Preoccupation with physical illness or their own appearance
• Fear that someone is controlling his/her mind, or that he/she is “out of control”
• A loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed
• Exclusiveness, preferring to be alone rather than in the company of friends.

If a students shows some or many of the above signs, he or she definitely needs therapy. Therapy for university students can be very beneficial, particularly if a problem is identified before it can worsen.

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy. In this form of counseling, university students are taught how their own thoughts can affect their mood and behavior. They are shown how to identify negative or distorted thought patterns and deal with them. This type of therapy is helpful in addressing mood disorders like anxiety and depression.
• Play therapy. Students can be encouraged to participate in games, and a psychotherapist watches their play to better understand their emotional or mental health issues. Different types of play help the student to figure out feelings and express them. Play therapy can help students who have depression or anxiety because they are having trouble dealing with life issues.
• Psychodynamic psychotherapy. This is the children’s version of the classic “talking cure,” by which a psychotherapist helps figure out the issues that are influencing how a student thinks or acts. The therapy operates on the theory that a student’s behavior will improve once his inner struggles are brought out in the open. This can help a student who has anxiety or depression, or dealing with an eating disorder, or is lashing out due to a conduct disorder.
• Behavior therapy. This sort of therapy for students differs from cognitive-behavioral therapy in that it focuses on behavior modification. Behaviors are identified that need to be discouraged or encouraged, and then parents or teachers work to change the environmental factors that contribute to those behaviors and also provide consequences for desired or undesired behavior.

University students should not hesitate to talk to their doctors or a qualified therapist or psychologist if they seem to be having a problem. Quick attention can help to overcome the issues of coping with, and leave a happier and healthier life.

You can also find out the difference between a therapist and psychologist.