"Behind the grades and activities, students are carrying emotional loads that cannot be ignored. And among them, honors students may be facing a perfect storm of internal and external pressure. According to a recent report from the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, college students are struggling with depression, anxiety, and stress."
"In 2024, I co-authored an article with my colleague, Alicia Shenko, Ph.D., in the Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council. The pressures that honors students face require a nuanced understanding. Often seen as the high achievers in academic settings, honors students are typically driven, ambitious, and academically motivated."
"However, their success often masks an invisible weight: The stressors of emerging adulthood combined with academic expectations can leave them particularly vulnerable to anxiety, depression, and emotional burnout. Alanabeth Duncan, a first-year student in the academic honors program at Morehead State University, noted, "The honors culture can contribute to stress largely because of competitiveness and perfectionism. The desire to be perfect in your field can be overwhelming at times, along with feelings of imposter syndrome.""
Honors students frequently hide significant mental health struggles behind strong academic records and extracurricular achievements. Emerging adulthood stressors and rigorous academic expectations combine to create vulnerability to anxiety, depression, and emotional burnout among honors students. Competitive honors cultures often intensify perfectionism and imposter syndrome. Reports indicate rising rates of depression, anxiety, and stress among college students generally. Meaningful human connection from invested faculty, supportive peers, and healthily involved families reduces isolation and supports student well-being. Honors programs that prioritize personal relationships and student growth can mitigate emotional strain and help students thrive beyond GPA and accolades.
Read at Psychology Today
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