South African students are navigating complex academic, emotional and financial pressures that can severely impact their well-being, and universities have a duty to address the unfolding crisis.
This is according to education expert Dr Linda Meyer, who warned that the growing prevalence of mental health challenges among students in higher education needs urgent intervention.
Meyer, MD of IIE Rosebank College and president of Rosebank International University College Ghana, says research by Higher Health South Africa — an agency of the department of higher education and training (DHET) responsible for health and wellness across the post-school education and training system — reveals the depth of the problem.
Between January 2021 and June 2023, Higher Health delivered mental health prevention interventions to more than 321,000 students and provided psychosocial support and counselling to around 23,450 students.
“These statistics not only reflect the enormous demand for support but also the growing awareness of mental health as an essential pillar of student success,” said Meyer.
“University life coincides with a developmental period when most mental health conditions first emerge. Disorders such as anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder commonly surface between the ages of 17 and 25, precisely when young people are pursuing tertiary education,” she said.
“This transition, often marked by leaving home and facing new social and academic expectations, can be exhilarating yet overwhelming.
“Added to this are the burdens of financial stress, housing insecurity, social isolation and the pressure to meet family or community expectations. The result is a population of young adults at high risk of psychological distress but often reluctant or unable to seek help,” said Meyer.
She said barriers include cost, lack of time, fear of stigma and the misconception that mental illness is a sign of weakness.
“These challenges contribute to declining academic performance, absenteeism, dropouts and, in extreme cases, suicide. Universities are left to contend not only with the personal tragedies that accompany these outcomes but also with the institutional and societal costs of unaddressed mental health crises,” Meyer said.
An article by researchers from the University of Witwatersrand’s Analytics and Institutional Research Unit, titled Second-year blues: a qualitative study exploring themes related to anxiety among second-year undergraduate students at a South African university, explored mental health challenges experienced by the group.
The research, recently published in the Journal of Further and Higher Education, focused on 26 second-year undergraduate students, representing all faculties within a large university, who took part in in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.
“Since the second year of study does not traditionally enjoy comprehensive institutional support when compared to the first, second year students may be at higher risk for mental disorders, including anxiety, consequently leading to poorer academic outcomes.”
According to the research student support programmes in South Africa, much like the rest of the world, disproportionately focus on first-year students.
“The second year of university study, however, is marked by an intensification of academic pressure coupled with a noticeable decline in targeted institutional support structures. This often leaves students struggling with sustained academic challenges without the scaffolding available during their first year.”
The study found that participants understood feelings of anxiousness to be a feeling of worry and fear that sometimes culminated in panic attacks.
The study showed that participants believed that anxiety and depression were often not considered legitimate illnesses especially among older people and in African communities.
“ … as a black person you don’t go to your parents, saying ‘Ma, I think I am depressed’ because it’s not a thing, like it’s not… anxiety is a mental issue that is not recognised especially by us black people, because you know these illnesses are seen as like white people’s things, because I grew up in a township,” said a male student.
The study also found that several factors fuelled feelings of anxiety including fear of academic failure, increased workload, low self-confidence, family pressure to excel academically, financial worry, feeling unsafe and social media.
“Participants discussed their fear of failure, which became a dominant and recurring theme in interviews and discussions. Almost all study participants experienced failure for the first time during their first year of study and attributed this to adjusting to the university environment.
“Participants expressed frustration as they felt that the perceived low marks and failure continued to persist even in their second year of study, despite increased effort and long hours of studying,” the study stated.
One male participant said: “If you sleep in the library until 3am in the morning studying and then you still get 26%, I mean that’s really discouraging.”
Participants also highlighted that some funding was linked to their academic performance, and thus poor performance would mean they would lose their funding, further perpetuating feelings of stress and anxiety.
Participants also believed that the workload increased significantly in their second year of study. Participants reported constantly feeling left behind and overwhelmed by their academic work. As a result, participants prioritised academic work, at times, to the detriment of relationships with those close to them.
“Another theme that came out strongly was the expectation from parents and family for the participants to academically excel in university, like they did in high school. Participants did not want to disappoint their parents and families who had high expectations.
“Participants highlighted other factors that triggered anxiety, apart from those that were academically related. This was an issue especially for participants from poorer backgrounds, and participants who had siblings also in university or following closely behind.”
Many reported that inadequate funding meant that they sometimes did not have sufficient money to buy food and textbooks.
“Participants also highlighted that some funding was linked to their academic performance, and thus poor performance would mean they would lose their funding, further perpetuating feelings of stress and anxiety,” the study found.
Students told researchers they coped by over-sleeping, crying, talking to someone, exercising, doing hobbies like photography, meditation and going to church.
“Other participants used prescribed medicines to alleviate anxiety symptoms, and others used over-the-counter stimulants for concentration when studying for longer periods. Participants also mentioned that the use of alcohol to cope was widespread in the student community and at times led to a dependency on alcohol.”
Meyer believes universities must go beyond crisis management and build a culture of prevention and care.
“University executives must integrate mental health into institutional strategy, allocate resources for counselling and support, and train academic and administrative staff to identify at-risk students.
“Regular well-being check-ins, anonymous mental health surveys, and workshops on stress management, emotional regulation, and resilience can create a proactive well-being ecosystem.
“Early intervention is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of self-awareness and strength. Seeking help prevents escalation, protects academic progress and promotes long-term well-being.”
Meyer said collaborations between universities, Higher Health SA, the health department and community mental health organisations can expand capacity and ensure access to professional care.
“Ultimately, addressing the mental health crisis in higher education is both a moral and strategic imperative.
“A university cannot achieve academic excellence without nurturing the psychological well-being of its students. By embedding mental health into the core mission of higher education, and by empowering students to recognise when they need help, universities can transform from institutions of learning into communities of care,” said Meyer.