Our nation's hyper-partisan politics did not spark the mental health crisis at America's colleges and universities. But studies suggest elections are making it worse. A survey by Timely Care, a virtual health and well-being provider to roughly 350 colleges including WashU, reports that 65% of surveyed students are stressed or anxious about the upcoming election, and 52% say that engaging in political discourse has negatively affected their mental health.
"Politics, especially close elections, can trigger sleep loss, shortened tempers, obsessive thoughts, increased mental health appointment usage, drug and alcohol use and elevated levels of depression and anxiety," said Kirk Dougher, associate vice chancellor for student health and well-being at Washington University in St. Louis. "Students are not alone in feeling that way. But because college students are already coping with higher rates of depression and anxiety, elections have the power to exacerbate those issues."
Here, Dougher explains what colleges are doing to help their students during this fraught election season and what steps students can take to cope in the weeks leading up to and following the Nov. 5 election.
What sort of mental health services are colleges providing to students who are experiencing stress and anxiety during this election season?
Schools, including WashU, are creating spaces where people can connect and feel validated in their experiences without having to be on the defensive. We know that those moments when we feel truly understood by another human being in a supportive environment are so important and have the power to reduce stress. At WashU, the Center for Counseling & Psychological Services offers many process and support groups that provide ongoing support for students who are dealing with stress, grief or other issues. Those groups have agreed-upon norms about how they are going to deal with hot-button issues. Right now we do not have a group organized around politics, but that is something we could do if we see a need.
Virtual or in-person one-on-one therapy, especially in the moment when a student feels they need a listening ear, can also be productive. But even better outcomes can come from being part of these supportive group environments on an ongoing basis.
And then there are one-off events like guided mindfulness workshops and yoga. Those can be helpful and students like them, but they're never really curative. Again, it usually takes repeated iterations of something to be able to help drive people toward health.
