Mental Health and the Adaptation to College: A Handbook for Residence Advisors

The transition to college places vast demands on students to quickly adjust to new circumstances all without the safety net of friends, family and close relationships. For some, that transition is bumpy, for others derailing. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for 18-34 years old. A full 75 percent of mental illness will first appear between the ages of 15-25. More than 40 percent of young adults report an alcohol or substance abuse issue. But intervention can make all the difference, ensuring students not only complete college but turn their lives around. Mental Health and the Adaptation to College helps resident assistants and other student life professionals to differentiate between the normal aches and pains of adjustment to college life and the kinds of symptoms indicating the need for more serious treatment. This handbook draws upon the authors’ combined eight decades of experience in college student health service and young adult mental health. Philip K. McCullough, MD is a member of the faculty at the Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University. Kristen M. Granachalek, LCSW is cofounder of Alliance - Collaborative Psychotherapy, a private therapy practice that specializes in treating young adults in transition. Chris Ogle, MA is Vice President and Dean of Students at Ripon College.