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"Uncertainty heightens stress and anxiety for most people," says Dr. Lindsey Mortenson, chief mental health officer at the University of Michigan. "When you're thinking about the college experience, anything that impacts their learning, their health and safety, or their perceived job prospects has the potential to disrupt the kind of development we like to see in college. ... Uncertainty is a word we're hearing a lot from parents, families, students, faculty and staff. That can be distracting if you're spending a lot of time thinking about the 'what ifs' and worrying about what might be on the horizon. It can take meaningful time and energy away from learning and positive social experiences."
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Role of Colleges in Addressing Students' Mental Health
Colleges have a "huge responsibility" to address students' mental health challenges, from prevention to treatment and recovery, Mortenson says.
"Many college students are on campuses that actually have greater resources and support than are often available at home," she says. "For this reason, I tend to think of colleges ideally supporting what's sometimes called 'recovery in place' – this idea that healing, resilience are more likely when people stay in a supportive environment."
When you look at the experiences of many faculty and staff members "who are supporting college students today, we kind of grew up in a slightly different era where if students wobbled or struggled in college, they might have been sent home," Mortenson says. "So I think colleges have a really unique opportunity and responsibility to support recovery in place if that's the best environment for the student."
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