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In the period 2024/25, just over ** percent of college and university students who received mental health services in the United States had seriously considered suicide. Between 2010 and 2020, the share of students who were deemed to have serious suicidal ideation in mental health services increased by around ** percent.

Post-secondary students and mental health

Although often an exciting time, transitioning to college or university can present youth with new pressures and stress due to increased responsibilities, freedom, and academic demands within different social surroundings while adjusting to a new environment. This can unfortunately lead to mental health challenges for some students, especially for those living with pre-existing mental health challenges – for example, in 2021, around **** of college students reported having an anxiety disorder while * had depression or another mood disorder. Moreover, nearly * of college and university students in the U.S. reported non-suicidal self-harm behaviors and around *** percent reported having suicidal ideation.

Suicide prevention strategies

In order to help increase students’ mental health and wellbeing, many campuses offer different types of support, such as peer support groups, awareness campaigns, and professional services. In 2021, ** of U.S. students reported knowing where they could go for on-campus professional mental health resources. Families and friends of post-secondary students who are struggling can help through maintaining supportive contact, engaging in conversations about mental health struggles and self-care strategies, and seeking out the on-campus resources available.