Anxiety in College Students
College life can be exciting, but it also brings new challenges that can trigger stress and anxiety. From academic pressures and social changes to living away from home for the first time, many students find themselves feeling overwhelmed. Anxiety is one of the most common mental health concerns among college students—but it’s also highly treatable. Understanding the signs and learning healthy ways to manage anxiety can help you feel more in control, stay focused, and enjoy your college experience.
This page is here to help you understand Anxiety, how it shows up during college years, and what steps you can take toward feeling better.
How Common is Anxiety in College Students and Young Adults?
Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health issues among college students and young adults. According to recent surveys, over 60% of college students reported experiencing overwhelming anxiety at some point within the past year. Academic stress, financial pressure, social challenges, and uncertainty about the future all contribute to rising anxiety levels in this age group.
While occasional stress is a normal part of college life, chronic or intense anxiety can interfere with daily functioning, academic performance, and personal relationships. Fortunately, more students are seeking help, and colleges are expanding mental health resources to meet this growing need. Recognizing how common anxiety is can be the first step toward reducing stigma and encouraging students to reach out for support.
Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety in College Students ?
Anxiety involves intense, persistent worry that can interfere with daily activities. For some college students and young adults, this anxiety can become overwhelming, leading to more complex conditions.
It’s not always easy to identify anxiety in college students, but understanding and identifying these signs of anxiety can help you know it’s time to seek help:
- Avoiding or quitting activities and social interactions
- Isolating from friends and spending more time alone
- Poor self-esteem
- Changes in eating habits or weight
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling overwhelmed by schoolwork or missing school assignments
- Fatigue, trouble sleeping or restlessness
- Fast heartbeat, shaking, and cold sweats
- Unexplained emotional outbursts or fears
How Can I Support a Friend or Peer with Anxiety in College?
- Listen and communicate:
Create a safe space for your youth or teen to express their feelings. Listen without judgment and offer your support.
- Create a routine:
Help students establish a flexible schedule to reduce uncertainty and stress.
- Encourage positive activities:
Praise their efforts and involvement in activities that promote well-being.
- Seek professional help:
Consulting an experienced and caring mental health professional can provide a college students, young adult, and yourself, with the necessary tools and support to manage anxiety.
What Is Anxiety in College Students?
Anxiety is defined as “excessive, intense and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations.” Anxiety is a normal reaction, usually brought on by stressful situations.
However, when anxiety becomes more frequent, it can result in one of the five major types of anxiety disorders, harming overall mental health:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): GAD is characterized by chronic and persistent anxiety, fear, stress or worry – even when circumstances do not provoke it.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): OCD is characterized by recurring and unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or unwanted repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Performing compulsions can temporarily relieve anxiety, while not performing compulsory behaviors can increase anxiety and stress levels.
- Panic Disorder: Another type of anxiety disorder is Panic Disorder when there are chronic and repetitive panic attacks. A panic attack is an episode of intense fear, and physical symptoms may include increased heart rate that leads to chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness and stomachaches.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): This anxiety disorder is linked to a traumatizing event in which physical harm occurred or was threatened. People with PTSD have suffered traumatic events, including violent personal assaults and natural or human-caused accidents.
- Social Anxiety Disorder or Social Phobia: Social Anxiety Disorder or Social Phobia is characterized by overwhelming self-consciousness in everyday social situations. This can be limited to a type of social interaction, such as eating and drinking in front of others, or public speaking, but it can also occur anytime the person with the disorder is around other people.
Symptoms of Anxiety in College Students, and Young Adults
Like anxiety disorders or mood disorders, mental health disorders have become so commonplace among college students that many pediatricians include an anxiety screener in wellness checks.
Anxiety disorders in teens can be especially difficult to identify, given the normal changes that teens are navigating in junior high and high school.
While many of these symptoms can easily be dismissed as normal teen behavior, anxiety disorders will profoundly negatively affect a college students’ academics, family and friend relationships, and daily level of functioning.
Treating Anxiety in College Students
Untreated anxiety is a “gateway disorder,” increasing the risk in adulthood for depression and a two-fold increase in risk for substance use and suicide. Therefore, it is important to seek treatment for anxiety as soon as possible.
Many anxiety disorders can manifest themselves in a myriad of health issues and destructive psychiatry behaviors if left untreated.
Untreated anxiety disorders can result in the following:
- A significant decline in social activities
- Considering suicide as a way to escape the constant anxiety of daily life
- Low academic performance
- Substance use disorders or substance abuse as a means to self-medication
- Trouble sleeping, always feeling fatigued
The good news is that anxious feelings are highly treatable. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for teen anxiety, therapy can help.
If you suspect a college students you love is coping with anxiety, here are some things you can do now to help:
- Avoid long lectures and ask questions. Show you are actively listening to their answers.
- Discuss a flexible schedule for your teen to follow and plan ahead. Avoid surprises.
- Let them know they are in a safe place and talk in-person, not via text or email.
- Praise often and choose specific things that make you proud of him or her.
- Recognize that overcoming anxiety is a process, and it will take time. Praise strengths and avoid high expectations for a teen struggling with anxiety, especially if the teen struggles with panic attacks.
- Seek the help of a mental health professional. An outsider's perspective and someone unrelated to the teen may be able to help in ways someone inside the family cannot.
- Talk with your teen about anxiety. Let your loved one know it’s a common condition, and you want to help.
Your healing journey starts here.
At School Source Behavioral Health, we understand that college life can be overwhelming. Whether you’re dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, or other mental health challenges, you don’t have to face it alone. Our team of compassionate professionals is ready to listen and guide you toward the support and resources you need.
Fill out the form, and someone from our team will reach out to you promptly. Your well-being matters—take the first step today.