College of the Overwhelmed is a book about the extraordinary increase in serious mental illness on our college campuses today and what parents, students, and others in the community can do about it. Chances are almost one in two that a college student will become depressed to the point of being unable to function; one in two that he or she will have regular episodes of binge drinking (with the resulting significant risk of dangerous consequences such as sexual assault, car accidents, and so forth); and one in ten that he or she will seriously consider suicide. Since 1988, the likelihood of a college student suffering depression has doubled, suicidal ideation has tripled, and sexual assaults have quadrupled.
Dr. Richard Kadison, Chief of Mental Health Services at Harvard University Health Services, has written this book for parents, students, and college counselors and administrators to open a dialogue, get them talking, and to suggest ways we all can face these facts and do something about them. Following are excerpts from the book.
Introduction
Chapter 6 – What Can Parents Do?
Chapter 7 – For Students Only
Related article from U.S. News & World Report, Curing Campus Blues