“I was convincing myself that I was crazy. I felt barely alive.”

Ben Slowey found himself walking into the Norris Health Center Crisis Services on a February day in 2017. He said the care he received there saved his life. 

“I finally did what I needed to do,” said Slowey. “I couldn’t keep living like that a day longer.”

In 2018, a study conducted by the Norris Health Center at UWM found that 66% of students felt overwhelming anxiety in the past year, a 10% increase from the same study in 2008. Only 26% of UWM students have been treated for this anxiety. There was also an increase in depression, with 48% of UWM students reporting that, in the last year, they felt so depressed it was difficult to function, a 13% increase from 2008. 

This rise in mental health issues on campus is reflected in the number of students seeking help at UWM. University Counseling appointments so far this semester have increased 65% from last year, according to Paul Dupont, Norris Health Center’s Director of University Counseling. 

 “The demand for services is growing, growing, growing here at UWM and across the country,” said Dupont, “to the point where it is impossible for most college counseling centers to be able to have services for every student and to be able to do it at a fast basis.”

The demand is being met with no additional increase in staff from last year. Students have pointed to this lack of staff and availability to be a problem in the past.

Lindsey Needham, a UW-Milwaukee junior who has struggled with anxiety throughout college, said that although she appreciated services that are available, she ended up needing to find a therapist outside of campus. 

“It was like they were trying to accommodate so many people and issues that it wasn’t as helpful as it could have been if I would’ve gone to a specialist,” said Needham.

Slowey, who attended UWM Counseling session his freshman year of college, had similar concerns based on the care he received. 

“A big thing about having a good therapist is developing trust with that therapist and feeling like they’re actually present for you,” Slowey said. “The Norris therapists felt very minimal and surface-level.”

However, both Slowey and Needham did not have Wisconsin health insurance when they moved to school, and they both recognized that this was a major benefit of the on campus mental health care. 

“Finding something up here wasn’t a possibility with my healthcare insurance,” said Needham. “I thought ‘this is free, this can help me and boost me to where I need to go.’”

After his initial attempt at therapy at UWM, Slowey took time off from talking to a therapist. This, combined with his growing mental health issues, pushed him to go to Norris Health Center Crisis Services, which he views more fondly than UWM’s counseling services. 

 “When I went to the crisis center, that was important for me to do,” said Slowey. “That was a lot more direct and immediate, and they just knew what to do and how to help me.”

Slowey was taken to Columbia St. Mary’s, where he was admitted to an impatient clinic that he says saved his life. After that, he followed up with outpatient services, where group therapy and workshops helped maintain his progress. Similar methods are being incorporated into the university’s counseling services. Group therapy is an option for students to receive further care if one-on-one therapy is not working, and skills workshops are offered several days a week to provide assistance to students needing a push in the right direction, according to Dupont. 

The university counseling also offers a program called “Let’s Talk,” which features brief, informal conversations with a staff member. The program is offered at four locations around campus, multiple days a week. 

“’Let’s Talk’ is the first step that many students will take, and for many they will come into counseling if that’s what they are recommended,” said Dupont. 

The programs are attempting to address problems that students like Needham and Slowey have with university counseling, while addressing the many mental health needs on campus.

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UWM has four different veteran-affiliated offices spread across campus in multiple buildings, which can be confusing for students. Veterans like Patrick have the Military and Veterans Resource Center, known as MAVRC, at their disposal as well as a Veterans Success Counselor and a Veterans Upward Bound office on campus. But none of these are anywhere near the Military and Educations Benefit Office located in Mellencamp Hall.

“It’s difficult to hunt everything down,” said Patrick. “It’s gets very stressful.”

“There’s so many benefits out there for veterans that I don’t even know about,” he continued. “A resource office with it all would be so beneficial. I wouldn’t be running all over chasing this stuff down. If I’m spending half of my day chasing down benefits, it kind of defeats the purpose.”

“When you build a kitchen together, you don’t put your stove here and your refrigerator over there. You put it all in one room to use it all efficiently.”

Patrick, US Navy veteran

Members of the Armed Services have faced intense stresses of battle. When they trade in combat boots for sneakers and ruck sacks for book bags, they must adjust to civilian life while navigating the hallways and buildings of campus. UWM’s MAVRC offers student veterans a map to the available benefits as well as a place to connect with other vets.

With over 1,000 student veterans on campus, UWM has the largest student veteran population in the University of Wisconsin system. MAVRC sees nearly 50 of those students come through their doors every day.

“You’re comfortable at home, you have comfort at work, MAVRC is the comfort found at the UWM campus,” said Director Yolanda Medina.

“To bounce from one building to the next, to the next and to the next, to try to get to each available safe space, it builds on that anxiety,” she said. “Possibly halfway through the walk, they say forget this and say I’m out of here. They don’t go to the resources that are available that they need because of the anxiety level is too high.”

While MAVRC’s office in the Student Union is celebrated as a place for veterans to escape from the hectic college life outside, it is small. The room sits just off to the side of the street entrance near Union Station, a busy hub of student activity and go-to area for a quick snack.

A student who enters through the welcoming glass door finds friendly faces and a warm pot of coffee. There is even a quiet space to study and a brochure stand with resources available across campus.

James “Groovy” Cocroft, the assistant director at MAVRC, often has to give students complicated directions to find important benefits.

You’ve got to go up some stairs. Go past Burger King. All through a bunch of other students mind you. Then you go past two other buildings. Go into another building. Then you turn past a bunch of corners, down a bunch of hallways. All to try to find this other office.”

James “Groovy” Cocroft

“We want something much like what the University of Syracuse has,” said Josh Lynch, the SVA-Milwaukee president. “We want to create one place that has the Military Education and Benefits Office, along with the other veteran support programs that can be found on campus.”

The University of Syracuse Veterans Center was voted as one of the Best for Vets Colleges in 2019 by Military Times. It was built for veterans returning from World War I.

“In addition to this, we would want to have a checklist that would require every new Student Veteran to complete upon their enrollment at UWM, so that they would know what resources are available to them on campus,” Lynch said.

Community Outreach Director Carlos Munoz echoes Lynch and Cocroft’s concerns about a chaotic landscape at UWM.

“The noises, it’s stimulating a possible panic attack,” said Munoz. “You are walking elbow to elbow, and you’re already stressed out about finding the benefits you are owed.”

Munoz says a young woman recently came in for help. She was battling the stresses of home life and school after a deployment overseas.

“She just couldn’t find her groove back,” said Munoz. “Personally, professionally. She just couldn’t find her groove.”

“She even told me that she wasn’t feeling safe at home. She was contemplating taking her own life. People in her life couldn’t understand her transition from a combat zone to life back here. I had to advise her to go to the VA and offices away from campus.”

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has released the 2019 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report showing that in Wisconsin, 124 veterans took their own lives in 2017. The suicide rate in the state is nearly 3% higher than the national average.

In response to the stresses of student veteran life and the number of veterans facing their battles with mental health, Munoz wonders if a larger resource center on campus could help those in need.

“Having everything under one roof would be awesome,” he said. “Everybody can assist each other more in conjunction.”

UWM plans to include a veteran student services center in the new Student Union project, according to Kelly Haag, chief student affairs officer. She said that UWM expects to talk to stakeholders and potential donors about a move into an integrated space that would allow visiting agencies like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans of Foreign Wars to engage with students in a single location.

Veterans Crisis Line

If you are a Service member or Veteran in crisis or you’re concerned about one, there are specially trained responders ready to help you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The Veterans Crisis Line connects Service members and Veterans in crisis, as well as their family members and friends, with qualified, caring VA responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text-messaging service.

Dial 1-800-273-8255 and Dial 1 to talk to someone.

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Sarah Laurent, a graduate student in the UWM Statistics program, researches correlations between binge drinking rates by census tracts and liquor license locations throughout the City of Milwaukee. 

“What I found was that the census tract that contained Sandburg Residence Hall contained the highest binge drinking prevalence rate throughout the City of Milwaukee,” said Laurent. 

A UWM study titled 2018 UWM Biennial Report found that 69% of UWM students had reported drinking alcohol in the last thirty days compared to a national university average of 58%.

“My results were interesting from a public health standpoint because there is a high number of underage individuals living in the areas with high binge drinking rates and near some areas with the highest volumes of liquor license location throughout the city,” said Laurent. 

Adam Dwyer, a freshman at UWM, agrees with Laurent’s conclusions.

“I do think living in Milwaukee has an impact on how much students drink. There are bars on almost every non-residential street and many parties going near campus on during weekends. Drinking is an essential part of Milwaukee’s identity,” said Dwyer.

On the fifth floor of UWM’s newly renovated Northwest Quadrant, a team of health and wellness professionals meet with their last clients of the day. The sunshine-infused walls of the Norris Health Center are scattered with posters and pamphlets offering services and messages of hope. 

BASICS, or “Brief Alcohol and other drug Screening and Intervention for College Students” is just one of several programs offered at the Norris Health Center to assist students battling alcohol abuse. Roughly 300 students per year participate in the program. 

“For the students that come in for BASICS, some are concerned about academic performance,” said Susan Cushman, campus alcohol and drug coordinator. “Too much of their time is taken up from drinking or recovering from drinking so it’s taking away other things they want to do, like study or exercise.”

It’s no secret that Milwaukee is a town that loves to drink. Whether it’s one of the city’s countless bars, breweries or even a family gathering, access to alcohol in the Brew City is just about as easy as it gets. 

A 2016 study by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, 63% of Wisconsin residents drink regularly compared to a national average of 53%. The same study reported 22% of Wisconsin residents surveyed binge drank in the last month. Experts say the consequences of alcohol misuse can be dismal, especially for college students and their mental well-being.   

Dwyer says college life has directly impacted his alcohol intake.

“I’ve been drinking since before I came to UWM, but since I’ve been a student here, I’ve definitely begun drinking more,” he said. 

His experiences with alcohol echo Cushman’s concerns with some of the students she sees. 

“I’ve fallen down the stairs more times than I can count, and I’ve stayed home from class a few times due to a nasty hangover,” said Dwyer. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, individuals who drink alcohol before the age of 21 risk changes in brain development, poor academic performance and suicide.

“We see more students in the fall rather than in the spring,” said Cushman. “There’s some research that suggests the first six weeks of an undergraduate’s college student’s life tend to a time of exploration and risk-taking behavior.”

A UWM student named Cade, who asked that his last name be withheld, believes UWM freshman like himself are most at risk for alcohol abuse. 

“I’ve noticed most of the parties I’ve been to have had mostly freshmen and sophomores in attendance,” he said. 

Underage drinking on and near campus is something Cade notices while out partying with friends. 

“Freshman can be pretty wild because they are having their first experience with alcohol,” he said. “Many will drink in their dorms before going out to parties.” 

Both Cade and Dwyer believe drinking alcohol in moderation is key to maintaining a successful college experience. 

“I usually drink once or twice a week, but sometimes I still go out with friends and choose not to drink,” said Cade. 

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Lauren Peterson

Bijou Blaise-Depriest

McKayla Lemons

Aziza Davis

Bri Sayeg

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Olu Elegbede is a Civil Engineering student at UWM who experiences depression, and he says mental health can be affected by social media.

“It’s one of those things that we grew up with so it’s something that you’ve just learned to adapt to and it’s basically just a part of us, and it’s part of our culture,” Elegbede says.

According to a UCLA study, people who spend more time on social media will have double the risk of reporting an issue concerning body image versus someone who uses it less. Social media likes and comments boosts the brain’s reward center.

Elegbede says that he has turned off notifications because he sometimes gets wrapped up in how many likes he receives. He even admits that he’ll delete or archive a picture if it doesn’t get enough likes.

“People don’t really post their failures on social media, which is something that I didn’t realize when I’ve seen other people doing stuff. It’s like people have their lives together and I’m just here, and I don’t know what I’m doing,” Elegbede says.

Elegebede says that he spends at least three hours a day on social media, which is above average, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. The organization reports that people spend at least 15 hours a week on social media.

Social media can have a negative effect on the young minds of today and their mental health, but it can also be used as a safe space. Elegbede is an engineering student, but also a photographer, and he uses this creative outlet to cope with his mental health issues.

“Recently, people that I have connected with have been into photography. I don’t consider myself a model, but I’ve been getting better at modeling,” Elegbede says. “I think it’s just an outlet for me because with me , with school, it’s my top priority. It’s just a way for me to have fun outside of the typical class experience, and creating new hobbies for myself.”

TeJean Neal, a film student at UWM, says therapy has helped him with depression. Like Elegbede, he uses his creativity and social media platforms to help him feel better.

Neal is a photographer, and says throughout his work he wants to show his experiences, whether people understand that message or not.

Social media can be used as a platform to share, to create and to meet new people. Neal says he uses his platform to build his self-worth.

“I can turn my words, my feelings, my emotions into art. Whether it’s abstract or not, or if people care about it or not. That’s why I don’t care about the amount of followers I have on Instagram because I’m throwing out art. If people like it cool, but honestly it’s my coping mechanism,” Neal says.

Neal’s photo series from ‘the chaotic hair appointment’ and shots taken in Jamaica. @surreal_frames via IG

“Personally, just coming from an African background, more specifically a Nigerian background, mental health is just something you don’t talk about. It’s like you go to church, you pray about it, you’ll be straight,” Elegbede says.

According to the American Health Association National College Assessment, more than 18% of students in 2018 felt so depressed that they had problems functioning in everyday life.

Researchers from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America found that too much of social media can cause depression, impulsive disorders, ADHD, and loneliness.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, mood disorders are most common among people who are under the age of 45. Taking social media breaks can be essential for the mind at times, there are even ‘mental health days’ so people aren’t feeling as overwhelmed.

Critics feel that mental health days can hinder a person’s work ethic, but others feel that there should be days off. Neal says that when he went to Jamaica this past summer he logged off of social media. He felt that he needed to enjoy the time that he was there, and didn’t want to consume himself in his phone.

“I think Instagram and social media is a tool to expand yourself, but you kind of lose track of you. You reach so far, you can talk to people across the globe and stuff like that. But you’re never here in the now. I’d rather be in the now, so I take breaks often,” Neal says.

Neal and Elegbede have come to an understanding that tackling mental health through college is no easy task.

“It’s important to make sure your head is in the right space,” says Elegbede.

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