Depression among college students has increased in the past decade. Boston University reports that the number of students with anxiety or depression more than doubled between 2013 and 2021. Anxiety among students rose by 110 per cent, while the number of depressed students jumped by 135 per cent. In 2021, over 60 per cent of students had some form of mental illness. This is double the figure from eight years ago. Alarm bells are ringing with mental health experts, but the number of students seeking therapy has fallen by 18 per cent.

Depression among students has been on an upward trend for decades. A researcher said: "The age of onset for lifetime mental health problems also directly coincides with traditional college years." She said: "Living in a new setting, and away from home, can often create overwhelming and stressful circumstances." Around 75 per cent of lifetime mental health problems will be in people by the age of 24. The COVID-19 pandemic, the loneliness of lockdowns, and school closures all worsened this mental health crisis. Many students fear for their increasingly uncertain futures.