Mental Health for College & Graduate Students in Massachusetts

The years that are supposed to be the best of your life can be some of the hardest. Between the workload, the money, the distance from home, the new (or absent) relationships, and the pressure to look like you have it all handled, a lot of students are carrying far more than the people around them realize.

The data bears this out. The most recent Healthy Minds Study (the largest survey of student mental health in the country) finds that roughly a third of college students are living with depression or anxiety, and graduate students fare worse still (more than six times as likely to experience serious depression and anxiety as the general population).

I trained in psychiatry at Harvard and teach at Harvard Medical School, and I spent years inside the pressure of elite graduate and professional education myself (law school, then medical school, then residency). I know what it does to a person to be measured constantly, and how easy it is to promise yourself you'll deal with it after the next deadline. If you've been meaning to reach out, the questions below are a good place to start.

Directory

Resources for College & Graduate Students

Whether or not you choose to work with a psychiatrist, these organizations offer confidential support, peer community, and practical help for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students navigating mental health. If you're in crisis right now, start at the top. Also check your school's website for information about their student health and mental wellness services.

If you need help right now

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Free, confidential support 24/7 for anyone in emotional distress or crisis. You don't have to be suicidal to call.

Call or text 988  ·  chat at 988lifeline.org

Crisis Text Line

Text a trained crisis counselor any time, from anywhere in the U.S.

Text HOME to 741741

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line (BHHL)

masshelpline.com

A free, confidential line staffed by trained clinicians, available 24/7 to everyone in Massachusetts, with or without insurance. They provide real-time support, an initial assessment, and connection to the right care (outpatient, urgent, or crisis), and will stay on the line until you're connected. Interpretation available in more than 200 languages.

Call or text 833-773-2445

NAMI Massachusetts — Compass Helpline

namimass.org

Trained navigators help you make sense of the mental health system and find local resources, referrals, and support. NAMI Massachusetts also backs student-led NAMI on Campus chapters at colleges across the state.

617-704-6264  ·  compass@namimass.org  ·  Mon–Fri, 10 AM–6 PM

William James INTERFACE Referral Service

williamjames.edu

A free, confidential helpline that matches you with a vetted provider who fits your needs, insurance, and location, including telehealth, usually within two weeks. Available to residents of 60+ participating Massachusetts communities and to William James College students.

888-244-6843  ·  Mon–Fri, 9 AM–5 PM

National

The Jed Foundation (JED)

jedfoundation.org

The leading national nonprofit for teen and young-adult mental health. Its Mental Health Resource Center offers plain-language guidance on managing academic stress, finding help, and supporting a struggling friend, along with tools for the transition into (and out of) school.

Active Minds

activeminds.org

A student-led movement with 500+ chapters on campuses nationwide, focused on peer support, mental health awareness, and ending stigma. One of the better ways to find community and get involved right on your own campus.

The Steve Fund

stevefund.org

The country's leading organization devoted to the mental health and well-being of students of color. Text STEVE to 741741 to reach a crisis counselor trained in the experiences of young people of color, 24/7. The Fund also publishes research and guidance for students and campuses.

Text STEVE to 741741

Dragonfly Mental Health

dragonflymentalhealth.org

A nonprofit built by academics, for academics, addressing the particular pressures faced by graduate students, postdocs, and professional trainees. Runs peer-support community events (the Dragonfly Café) and evidence-based programming for higher education.

The Trevor Project

thetrevorproject.org

Free, confidential, 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ young people. Reach a trained counselor by phone, text, or online chat.

Call 1-866-488-7386  ·  Text START to 678-678

The students who reach out earliest are always glad they did.

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