BLACKSBURG, Va. – A crisis on college campuses around the country.
A new Wiley research study published this year shows more than 80% of college students say they’re struggling emotionally.
When Jilly Riccio was in high school, she lost her close friend Jamison Novello in a way she never imagined.
“One of my friends died by suicide. That’s why it struck a chord and stuck with me, and that’s why I’ve been so passionate about it.”
During that time, Riccio was a part of her school’s SAFE Club — a way to talk openly about suicide, and mental health. But when she got to Virginia Tech, she quickly realized there was nothing close to that on campus.
Spring of last year, she decided to take matter’s into her own hands, creating the SAFE Club at Virginia Tech.
“It’s been really successful, and almost like therapy for me,” Riccio said.
10 News sat down with students at Virginia Tech to see how the mental health crisis impacts them.
Junior Jackie Mitchell said she wasn’t aware of the extent of her mental health problems until college.
“My mom was just like, ‘Oh you just have the jitters,’ but I came to Virginia Tech and was like, ‘I’m going to try therapy since it’s a free option,’ and they said, ‘You have anxiety,’” Mitchell said.
As Jackie told 10 News, anxiety for her wasn’t just ‘the jitters.’
“My body would physically shut down,” she said.
Abby Conner is the Communications Chair for the Clear Minds Project at Virginia Tech.
She said she hears students say time and time again, they feel alone.
“Some people are like, ‘Oh my issue isn’t that big,’ but to you, it is. It’s the biggest thing going on in your life,” Conner said.
Conner, her friend Aiden Williams, along with other students on campus created the Clear Minds Project this semester to bring awareness to resources for mental health, as well as help students navigate them.
“Mental health stuff especially, the insurance is terrible in Virginia, so it’s really complicated. Any information we can provide about that, we’re trying to do,” Williams said.
The Clear Minds Project, along with the SAFE Club, are just some of the resources for struggling students.
They appreciate and support the counseling efforts from Virginia Tech, but tell us they recognize how important community with other students is for healing.
“When you hear a student that has gone through something similar as you or can relate to you, because then you really do feel less alone. When you realize there’s a club, there’s a whole community where you can go to and you don’t even really have to say anything, you just have them there, I think that’s so important,” Riccio said.