Substance use behaviors, mental health problems, and use of mental health services in a probability sample of college students

Of the 2843 college students surveyed, 67% perceived a need for mental health services related to frequent binge drinking and mental health problems.

• Major depression, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder are associated with higher rates of cigarette smoking.
• Frequent binge drinking is linked to lower rates of major depression and higher rates of generalized anxiety disorder.
• The positive associations between binge drinking and anxiety disorders are significantly stronger in males than in females.
• Only 38% of students who perceived a need for mental health services received them in the past year.
• There may be substantial unmet needs for treatment of mental health issues and substance use among college students.

AI simplified