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VOA慢速英语--更多的大学生寻求心理健康辅导

时间:2016-09-13 23:30:59

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(单词翻译)

 More College Students Seeking Help with Mental Health 更多的大学生寻求心理健康辅导

Over the last 10 years, the number of university students seeking help for mental or emotional problems has grown sharply1.

A 2015 report from the Center for Collegiate Mental Health found the number of students seeking help increased at five times the rate of new students starting college during that time.

In addition, a 2015 report from the Association for University and College Counseling2 Center Directors found anxiety to be a major problem for students. Nearly half of all students who sought help in recent years said they felt anxious. In other words, the students said they felt unusually worried or afraid.

An additional 40 percent of students said they felt depressed3 -- very, very sad.

Experts give several explanations for why the number of students seeking help for mental health issues is rising. One reason could simply be a change in American culture. In the United States, people are increasingly comfortable talking about mental health issues and bringing their problems to trained experts.

Another reason could be related to the current generation of young people attending universities today.

But one reason is surely higher education itself.

Ben Locke is the executive4 director at the Center for Collegiate Mental Health. He also serves as the director of counseling and psychological services at Pennsylvania State University.

Locke says feeling worried and sad are normal parts of life. But college is a difficult time when students want to make friends, find their identity and succeed academically.

"College being a place with high demands, lots of competition and lots of concern about being able to get a good job after college, certainly increases the, the level of stress that students experience."

Giorgia’s story

Giorgia felt the stress of college life in a very severe way. She began her studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, in 2010. She wanted very badly to succeed there, but she often worried she would fail.

Giorgia asked VOA not to share her surname5.

Even before she went to college, Giorgia worried about things. At age 11, Giorgia was diagnosed6 with obsessive7 compulsive disorder8, or OCD. OCD causes a person to focus intensely on the same thoughts and repeat the same behaviors over and over.

At McGill, Giorgia worried about her academic performance. She also worried about what she would do after college.

In her third year of school, Giorgia worried so much about her worrying that she began seeing a therapist. Her therapist suggested the medication called Adderall would help Giorgia with her OCD.

But as her final year at McGill grew closer, Giorgia only worried more.

She stopped eating regularly and did not sleep for weeks at a time.

Her medication only made the problems worse. Her mood changed wildly. She also began to believe that her friends -- as well as complete strangers -- were watching her.

"I was aware that it was crazy. But I also thought there was no other possible way that all these coincidences could be happening. And it really freaked me out."

Georgia stopped leaving her apartment. And because she lived far from home, her parents did not realize how serious her anxiety was.

Jason’s story

A young man named Jason also shared his story with VOA. Like Giorgia, he did not want to give his surname.

Jason is from Bethesda, in the eastern U.S. state of Maryland.

Jason started seeing a therapist when he was seven years old. At that time, his therapist diagnosed him with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.

This condition of the brain makes focusing for long periods of time difficult. It also affects a person’s ability to think clearly before making decisions.

Jason says having ADHD made school difficult for him throughout his life.

He adds that he also struggles with depression. His therapist diagnosed him with the condition when he was in high school.

Jason completed a two-year associate’s degree at Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland, in the spring of 2007. He then began a bachelor’s degree program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County that fall.

But just as he began classes, his life changed in several major ways. His mother and father told him they were separating. Then his grandmother died.

Jason tried to stay focused on his studies. But the next year, his parents decided9 to make their separation permanent and get divorced. A month later, he received more horrible news: his best friend died.

Jason says all these things combined proved to be too much for him. Some days he was so sad he could not leave his bed. And then at one point, he considered suicide10.

"I remember because I was driving home and I said to myself, ‘I wonder what would happen if I just yanked my steering11 wheel to the left and drove into one of these light poles. And I wonder who would come to my funeral? And I wonder if anyone would care?’"

As soon as Jason began thinking suicidal thoughts he knew he needed help.

Next week we will continue exploring mental health issues and how they affect college students. We will hear why experts say these issues are a growing concern and what can be done.

Words in This Story

anxiety – n. fear or nervousness about what might happen

counseling – n. advice and support that is given to people to help them deal with problems or make important decisions

academically – adv. of or relating to schools and education

stress – n. a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life or work

diagnose(d) – v. to recognize a disease or illness in someone

therapist – n. a person who helps people deal with mental or emotional problems by talking about those problems

medication – n. a substance used in treating disease or relieving pain

mood – n. the way someone feels

coincidence(s) – n. a situation in which events happen at the same time in a way that is not planned or expected

freak(ed) (me) out – p.v. to become very anxious, upset, or afraid, or make someone very anxious, upset, or afraid

focus(ing) – v. to cause something, such as attention, to be directed at something specific

associate’s degree – n. a degree that is given to a student who has completed two years of study at a junior college, college, or university in the U.S.

bachelor’s degree – n. a degree that is given to a student by a college or university usually after four years of study

class(es) – n. a series of meetings in which students are taught a particular subject or activity

steering wheel – n. a wheel in a vehicle that the driver turns to steer the vehicle


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 sharply UiRziL     
adj.锐利地,急速;adv.严厉地,鲜明地
参考例句:
  • The plane dived sharply and rose again.飞机猛然俯冲而后又拉了起来。
  • Demand for personal computers has risen sharply.对个人电脑的需求急剧增长。
2 counseling GvQzb6     
n.咨询服务
参考例句:
  • A multimillionaire media magnate has shocked his employees with his candor by telling them all that he's putting his business affairs on hold to enter an alcoholism-counseling program. 一位身份数百万的媒体大亨,坦诚地告诉他全体员工他将暂时搁置他的事业以便参加戒酒班,令员工大为惊愕。
  • She will need medical help and counseling to overcome the tragedy. 她将需要医疗帮助和心理咨询来平复这场悲剧。
3 depressed xu8zp9     
adj.沮丧的,抑郁的,不景气的,萧条的
参考例句:
  • When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
  • His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。
4 executive Ymlxs     
adj.执行的,行政的;n.执行者,行政官,经理
参考例句:
  • A good executive usually gets on well with people.一个好的高级管理人员通常与人们相处得很好。
  • He is a man of great executive ability.他是个具有极高管理能力的人。
5 surname Krvwg     
n.姓;vt.冠姓
参考例句:
  • Her first name is Sheila and her surname is Kane.她姓凯恩,名叫希拉。
  • Wang is a very common Chinese surname.王是一个很常见的中国姓。
6 diagnosed 615a2f5168d9dcfef319c67955d91496     
诊断( diagnose的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Some foetal malformations cannot be diagnosed until late in pregnancy. 有些胎儿的畸形部位得等到妊娠后期才能诊断出来。
  • He diagnosed the trouble that caused the engine to knock. 他找出了引擎咔咔响的毛病所在。
7 obsessive eIYxs     
adj. 着迷的, 强迫性的, 分神的
参考例句:
  • Some people are obsessive about cleanliness.有些人有洁癖。
  • He's becoming more and more obsessive about punctuality.他对守时要求越来越过分了。
8 disorder Et1x4     
n.紊乱,混乱;骚动,骚乱;疾病,失调
参考例句:
  • When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后,他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
  • It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。
9 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
10 suicide ssAwA     
n.自杀,自毁,自杀性行为
参考例句:
  • The number of suicide has increased.自杀案件的数量增加了。
  • The death was adjudged a suicide by sleeping pills.该死亡事件被判定为服用安眠药自杀。
11 steering 3hRzbi     
n.操舵装置
参考例句:
  • He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
  • Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵,口吻也马上变得温和了。

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