The most important thing parents can do is remain in contact with their students to watch out for changes in mood, stress levels, and challenges, and to make sure students understand their mental health support options on campus.
What can friends and roommates do?
As a friend or roommate, you’re on the front line when it comes to offering support, which can feel like a lot of responsibility, but it also means you can make a big difference in helping another student. You can encourage person to seek support. Sometimes that nudge is all someone needs to make an appointment. You can ask an older students or resident advisor to step in. And yes, you can contact the student's parents if it feels appropriate. If you happen to know that he or she comes from a particularly toxic household, you might want to make that the last resort, but if the student refuses to get help, you need to alert someone in authority.
And if you, as a college student, feel overwhelmed, hopeless or emotionally exhausted, remember that this is not the way it's supposed to be. Get some help for your depression and it's likely that you'll find college is an immensely satisfying experience.
Mental Health Resources
Dramatic increases shown in college students' mental health problems over last 13 years
College Initiative at the NIMH
College mental health information at American Psychiatric Association
