The Union of Students in Ireland published a National report on student mental health. In Ireland, students are experiencing extremely severe levels of anxiety (38.4%), depression (29.9%) and stress (17.3%). Close to a third (32.2%) of students had a formal diagnosis of a mental health difficulties at some point in their lives. A fifth (20.9%) of students did not have someone to talk to about the personal and emotional difficulties.
While mental illness, mental distress and low wellbeing can affect all kinds of people, they are more common among those from deprived socioeconomic backgrounds. Widening participation to students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds may account for some of the increase in prevalence among students as well as the increase in students with disabilities attending third level education.

USI