Everyone experiences some kind of anxiety, stress or depression at some point in their life, and professionals say students should feel that it is OK to ask for help when they need it. 

Wichita State offers many resources to assist those who struggle, most of which have found their home in the Counseling & Testing Center on the third floor of Grace Wilkie Hall. 

Center Director Maureen Dasey-Morales works to make sure students know about the center’s services and urges those suffering from or experiencing symptoms to make an appointment immediately. 

In a recent study conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 62 percent of college students suffering from mental illnesses drop out of school. This is a problem many professionals are trying to counteract through awareness. 

Stress seems to be one of the greatest culprits affecting students. 

The opportunity for college students to cope and reduce stress can be accomplished by making changes in their schedules, sleeping habits and dieting. 

“Everyone has stress,” Dasey-Morales said. “If we can prevent issues earlier, I think we can keep a lot of students in school.” 

Angie Hardage-Bundy, a licensed master level psychologist, said the constant need for those in our society to be plugged in and always going attributes to stress. 

“I think stress is a cultural phenomenon—a western cultural phenomenon as opposed to necessarily being a university or student-based phenomenon,” she said. “I think if you’re breathing in western culture, you probably experience a high amount of stress. I think our culture encourages us to over-function.”

Hardage-Bundy encourages anyone finding stress a problem to avoid, to reduce or eliminate, should think about the way they relate to it. 

“Everyone experiences stress at times. Everyone experiences depression or anxiety,” she said. 

The best way to learn how to cope with stress or any other mental health issue a student may be experiencing is to schedule an appointment for a screening by the Counseling & Testing Center. The first evaluation is free, with any additional appointments costing $8. 

Dasey-Morales and staff psychologist Amy Barfield warn that untreated stress, anxiety or depression symptoms can lead to bigger problems later.

“Not seeking help can interfere with daily functioning, academics, work, family relationships and friendships,” Barfield said.

There is also a potentiality for substance abuse or suicidal tendencies or thoughts, Hardage-Bundy said. 

“It’s unlikely it’s going to get better on its own,” Dasey-Morales said. “It’s our job to help [students] figure out what they need to do so they have the coping skills to do it without us at some point.” 

 

Even if a student is not ready to visit the center, they can talk with their adviser or instructor if they are struggling. 

“A lot of instructors are willing to work with students if students are willing to come to them and talk about their personal struggles,” Hardage-Bundy said. 

This is especially recommended if the student suffers from test anxiety or another classroom issue. Instead of being referred to the Counseling & Testing Center, students can also seek help through Disability Services, located in the Grace Wilkie Annex.

Statistically, 83 percent of WSU students said they have felt overwhelmed within the last 12 months. Money or finances, relationship issues and academics are among the top three reasons. The average age of a WSU student is 28, which Dasey-Morales said could account for why financial burdens create the number one stressor instead of academia itself. 

Another 12.3 percent of students reported being diagnosed and treated for depression, 12.2 percent with anxiety and 1.8 percent with bipolar disorder.

“You wouldn’t think bipolar would be so high because it typically doesn’t occur until later 20s or 30s,” Dasey-Morales said. 

Of course, this number could also be related to the average age of WSU students.

While stress, depression and anxiety are mental health issues that can be treated through counseling in most cases, with medication as an option, bipolar disorder is one that almost always requires medication. The success rate in someone successfully coping with bipolar disorder is usually congruent with their compliance to their medication, Hardage-Bundy said, which can elicit some unwanted side effects. 

If a student has a condition that would be better treated with medication, they can receive such therapy through the Counseling & Testing Center at a reduced rate. Psychologists work with students to maintain resources and keep the cost low.

The Counseling & Testing Center schedules more than 3800 appointments a year covering a broad spectrum of disorders and mental health issues. Faculty and staff are also welcome to take advantage of the services the office provides. 

There is always the trouble of advertising the center to students, especially on a commuter campus like WSU. 

“Our students aren’t always on campus,” Barfield said. “Getting them on campus long enough to give them the information is a struggle.”

Stigma about mental health issues is another battle psychologists face in getting those struggling into the office for evaluations. Dasey-Morales said that with college campus shootings, the media associated anyone suffering with mental health issues into these villainous, scary people.

“That’s so far from the truth,” she said. “Sometimes that hurts our efforts. I think that students understand that mental health issues can happen with anyone, but that perception is still out there.”

Barfield said that psychologists are making effort to normalize mental health awareness and issues while working to decrease the stigma that suffering from symptoms is unnatural. They all are encouraging students, faculty and staff to seek counseling before issues escalate.

During the last 12 months, 7 percent of WSU students said they seriously considered suicide. Also, within the last year, the suicide rate in Sedgwick County increased 55 percent. 

“A vast majority of college students who attempt suicide or complete suicide were not in counseling at the time,” Dasey-Morales said. 

A lot of times, college students and people in life transition periods struggle to adjust. Hardage-Bundy said psychologists refer to these feelings as adjustment disorders, and they are just as natural as any disorder would be. 

“I think it is important to normalize the idea that a lot of folks do struggle when they go off to college and they transition to college,” she said.

Often times, students are more concerned with how much fun they will have or that their next year will be full of partying and excitement. In reality, it is these new-to-the-game students who have the hardest time coping with the change.

“They tend to feel like ‘Oh my gosh, something’s wrong with me’ instead of recognizing that this is normal,” Hardage-Bundy said. “Lots of people do struggle. It is hard. It’s more normative to struggle than to not struggle.” 

When a person takes that step to talk to someone in the Counseling & Testing Center or on their own, each receives the necessary therapy to suit them. Psychologists’ goals are to help the students’ develop and help themselves. Many therapies are used to ignite this process, and each case is different.

Students have input in their care and can give their opinion about which method they think works for them. The Counseling & Testing Center has five fully licensed psychologists on staff as well as others at different stages of their training. All are on their way to be licensed psychologists, and work under the supervision of the director.

“From my perspective, I think it’s really critical to focus on treating individuals in a holistic manner; treating the whole individual [the physical, the mental, spiritual if that’s important to the person] approach,” Hardage-Bundy said. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with stress, anxiety, depression or any other symptom, the Counseling & Testing Center provides free online screenings on their website: www.wichita.edu/counselingandtestingcenter or you can make an appointment for an evaluation at (316) 978-3440.