A growing number of troubled students are seeking help from SA’s universities for mental health problems, with some institutions saying suicide-related calls have more than doubled compared with the first half of last year.
A 24-hour helpline catering exclusively for students received more than 12,000 crisis calls in the first six months of this year compared with 18,200 for the whole of last year.
Also, a Sunday Times survey has revealed that the number of students expressing suicidal thoughts at just seven universities increased from 265 last year to 372 from January to July.
The institutions were Nelson Mandela University (NMU), Vaal University of Technology (VUT), Central University of Technology (CUT), Walter Sisulu University (WSU), Sol Plaatje University (SPU), University of Mpumalanga (UMP) and the University of Johannesburg (UJ).
The number of suicide-related calls received by UJ’s crisis line more than doubled from 118 last year to 247 from January to now.
Besides the 372 calls recorded by the seven institutions, a further 102 suicide-related calls were received by the University of the Free State (UFS) from February to June.
University officials said anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, family conflicts, relationship issues, sexual assault, rape, gender-based violence (GBV) and attempted suicide were among reasons students sought help.
UFS spokesperson Lacea Loader said problems experienced by students this year “correlate significantly with those in 2021”.
“What we find is that the experiences of grief and trauma have been exacerbated as it was not properly dealt with during the pandemic as students were not on campus.”
She said students made 2,662 calls to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group over 18 months between 2020 and 2021.
Professor Alban Burke, director of the centre for psychological services at UJ, said one of the three main categories of students seeking assistance was those displaying risky behaviour, resulting in them “falling victim to dangerous and traumatic situations”.
“We have identified house parties as a high risk. During individual consultations with students we found that many GBV-related incidents occur during house parties or at off-campus social events and clubs.”
We have identified house parties as a high risk. During individual consultations with students, we found that many GBV-related incidents occur during house parties or at off-campus social events and clubs
— Professor Alban Burke, director of the centre for psychological services at UJ
VUT spokesperson Tandi Mapukata said students wanted assistance for relationship issues, “including conflict around contraception, as well as legal/illegal abortions”.
WSU spokesperson Mathabo Hendricks said students with suicidal thoughts was “an area of concern”.
“Online learning and teaching was a source of stress and frustration that led to symptoms of depression in most students.”
Elijah Moholola, spokesperson for the University of Cape Town, said the top five mental health problems handled by the institution’s student wellness service were depression, academic issues, anxiety, adjustment and family issues.
Tshwane University of Technology spokesperson Phaphama Tshisikhawe said a task team was developing a mental health strategy focusing on, among other things, ways to address high suicide rates, sexual assault and GBV.
Wits University spokesperson Buhle Zuma said from January to May its student helpline received 1,325 calls, while in-person counselling increased by 100 students for January to June compared with the same period last year.
NMU spokesperson Zandile Mbabela said 31 students reported attempting suicide last year, with seven doing so between January and June.
Lauren Kansley, of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, said they were also seeing an increase in counselling requests compared with last year.
University of the Western Cape spokesperson Gasant Abarder said 88 students reported suicide issues last year, including 46 who had a history of self-harm.
“The prevention of loss of life through suicide remains a priority for the university.”
Kashini Maistry, spokesperson for SPU, said 467 students sought help between January and June.
University of KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Normah Zondo said: “Students presenting with an after-hours emergency of suicidal ideation or attempted suicide have access to an after-hours emergency service provider for transportation to hospital.
“Counselling and related support services are offered individually and in group settings, and reach large numbers of students.”
She said students have reported anxiety, panic attacks, depression, suicidal ideation, isolation, loss, and feelings of social and institutional alienation.
Lusani Netshitomboni, spokesperson for the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, said tertiary institutions were “particularly stressful and it was no surprise that its community has significant mental health problems. Another factor is the abuse of substances, which are used as a coping mechanism.”
Tlangelani Ubisi, spokesperson for UMP, said 293 students received individual counselling last year and 196 between January and June.
Ramneek Ahluwalia, CEO of Higher Health — a nonprofit that “implements a range of health, wellness and psychosocial services across 420 campus sites” in SA — said of the 78,000 students who conducted a risk profile last year, 8,800 voluntarily disclosed they had a mental health issue.
Since last year, universities, technical and vocational education and training colleges and community education and training colleges had been offering an extramural curriculum on mental health, he said.
“We have seen an increase in students reporting and seeking help for mental health issues.”
Ahluwalia said calls to Higher Health’s crisis helpline, which was launched last year, included those involving academic stress, domestic violence, general anxiety and depression.
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