By Emily Salmon

For a brief period after the peak of Covid-19, college students’ mental health challenges appeared to stabilize. Campuses reopened, routines returned and colleges expanded counseling services to address rising demand. But new surveys and research suggest that student and young-adult mental health challenges are once again trending in the wrong direction, and in many cases, becoming more severe and complex.

The 2024-2025 Healthy Minds Study, which surveyed more than 84,000 students across 135 colleges and universities including multiple Virginia institutions, reinforces the scale of the crisis. The study found that 37% of students screened positive for moderate or severe depression, while 33% screened positive for moderate or severe anxiety.  The report also found that loneliness remains widespread, with nearly one-quarter of students indicating they often feel isolated from others.

A 2026 national survey conducted by YouGov for UnitedHealthcare found that nearly 70% of college students reported experiencing a mental health concern within the past year, with anxiety, stress, depression and ADD/ADHD among the most common issues. Also noteworthy was the higher incidence of mental health concerns reported by college students as compared to their non-enrolled peers.

Source: United Healthcare Young Adult and College Student Behavioral Health Report, 2026.

At the same time, researchers are documenting long-term increases in depression and suicidal ideation among college students nationwide. A 2026 Johns Hopkins Medicine study analyzing health survey data from more than 560,000 U.S. college students between 2007 and 2022 found that depression symptoms steadily increased over the 15-year period. Most alarming, suicidal ideation increased by nearly 154%. Researchers found sharp increases in symptoms such as restlessness and difficulty concentrating, with women, racial minority students and financially stressed students disproportionately affected.

What are the causes and impacts?

Experts point to several contributing factors, including social media use, academic pressure, economic instability and lingering post-pandemic effects. The normalization of “always-on” digital culture has intensified stress and isolation for many young adults, even as students appear more willing than previous generations to openly discuss mental health struggles.

Financial stress continues to intensify the issue.  Rising tuition, student debt, housing instability and economic uncertainty are adding pressure to students already balancing academic and social demands. Importantly, one in four young adults who did not seek mental healthcare said cost was the primary barrier to getting help.

Researchers also are seeing the academic consequences of worsening mental health. Mental health challenges are increasingly tied not only to student well-being, but also to retention, graduation rates and long-term academic success.

The Healthy Minds Study highlights the growing demand for treatment and support services with 38% of surveyed college students indicating they have received mental health counseling or therapy within the past year. Among students who screened positive for anxiety or depression, 61% reported receiving either counseling, psychiatric medication or both in the past year, signaling both increased help-seeking and the growing strain on campus mental health systems.

Source: Healthy Minds Study 2024-2025

Some institutions are stepping up

With growing demand and increasing complexity comes an opportunity for innovative and scalable solutions. The Princeton Review’s 2026 Mental Health Services Honor Roll highlights colleges, including William & Mary, that are developing proactive and comprehensive approaches to student well-being. Rather than relying solely on reactive counseling services, many campuses are embedding mental health support into campus culture itself.

Among the approaches showing promise are expanded wellness centers, peer support programs, faculty training initiatives and orientation programs designed to normalize conversations about mental health early in a student’s college experience. Many schools also are creating targeted support systems for first-generation students, athletes and other populations facing unique stressors. The Healthy Minds Study  suggests that informal support networks remain critical, with students most commonly turning to friends, family members, roommates and significant others for emotional support.

Technology also is beginning to play a larger positive role. The United Healthcare Young Adult and College Student Behavioral Health Report found that nearly one-third of young adults have used AI-based platforms for mental health support, whether for coping strategies, emotional reassurance or symptom exploration. While technology alone will not solve the crisis, it may help expand access and early intervention opportunities.

Source: United Healthcare Young Adult and College Student Behavioral Health Report, 2026.

The sharp rise in anxiety, depression, loneliness, and suicidal ideation among college students is no longer a temporary trend – it is one of the defining challenges facing American higher education today. National data now show that mental health concerns affect a substantial portion of the student population and are deeply connected to academic performance, financial stress and overall quality of life. But within the crisis lies a critical opportunity: Colleges that invest in innovative, evidence-based mental health solutions now will not only improve student well-being, but also shape academic success, retention and the future of campus life for an entire generation.