Disabled students suffer in silence
Taboo around mental illnesses leave them vulnerable, isolated, voiceless and disempowered
LIVING with a disability while at university is an experience that is seldom shared with others. Frequently, the person with a disability may feel isolated, vulnerable and voiceless in terms of the stresses and dynamics of having a disability while being a student. This is especially true for students with invisible disabilities and, in particular, psychosocial disabilities or mental illness.
Mental illness among university students has become a major challenge across the world as studies in the US and South Africa have shown. For example, a study in the US, conducted across 26 university campuses, showed that students experience a wide range of mental health problems. At least 17% suffered depression, 4.1% panic disorder, 7.0% generalised anxiety, 6.3% suicidal ideation and 15.3% reported non-suicidal self-injury.
In South Africa, research shows that as many as 12% of university students experience anything from moderate to severe symptoms of depression. And 15% report moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety. One particular study showed that as many as 24.5% of a large sample of South African students reported some form of suicidal ideation in the two weeks before they were interviewed.
To make the problem more real, there was the recent case of a student in Braamfontein, Joburg, who apparently committed suicide by jumping off a building. One of her close friends said she had been suffering from depression.
Students with visible disabilities (such as physical disabilities and sensory disabilities) have received more attention. This is despite the fact that the number of students with psychiatric illnesses is growing.
Fortunately, there is currently an international study investigating the phenomenon among university students. South Africa, including Stellenbosch University, is taking part in the Caring Universities Project that is addressing these issues.
Students with psychiatric illnesses often experience many barriers to learning and education and feel oppressed and discriminated against.
This may impact on their ability to identify their rights and obtain support needs.
There is hence a need for university staff development, specifically with respect to mental illness and student development.
However, psychiatric illness requires different types of adjustments and accommodations with unique challenges.
So what is needed in terms of access and accommodations for students with mental illness?
First, these students need to feel safe to self-disclose that they have an illness.
Many students, however, do not opt to do this in fear of being labelled and discriminated against.
Lecturers sometimes become cynical and sceptical of their situation.
Second, these students must feel that they can have an open relationship with someone on campus who would be able to help facilitate the process of having self-disclosed about their mental illness. This could be with a lecturer, supervisor or any of the staff from Centres for Student Counselling and Disability Units and the like at universities.
Third, because psychiatric illness requires different approaches, it is important that a more individualised approach is used to support the students as compared to a generic approach which is more acceptable with students with visible disabilities. There needs to be a sense of connectedness in this approach so that the student does not feel isolated or vulnerable on campus.
Accommodations for students with mental illness need to be specific to the needs of the student but could include a new approach to goal-setting, more effective time management techniques and revisiting incentives for studying towards a particular degree. So, in terms of accommodation, the following three aspects are important for persons with a psychiatric illness: self-disclosure, open relationships, and individualised approaches.
It therefore becomes vital that both formal and informal interventions need to take place for a student with with such an illness on campus. Yes the formal policies and practices are important but what is more important are those subtle informal interventions such as relationship building and support from these relationships.
Mental illness is a reality on campuses and the sooner we become aware of this and intervene and manage it appropriately the better. Students must feel safe to self-disclose in the knowledge that instead of being discriminated against, they will experience favourable and supportive relationships and accommodations. This can then ultimately enhance their learning experience on campus and hopefully eradicate the taboo of having a mental illness.
MENTAL ILLNESS IS A REALITY ON CAMPUSES AND THE SOONER WE BECOME AWARE OF THIS AND INTERVENE AND MANAGE IT APPROPRIATELY THE BETTER