For many college students, lethargy and anxiety have seeped into their everyday lives. As the number of young individuals facing emotional challenges continues to rise, the need for psychological counseling has become increasingly evident. However, despite this, the reality is that many are still hesitant to seek and receive counseling help. Thus, the Sungkyun Times (SKT) aims to examine the underlying causes of such reluctance and explore measures to address the issue.
College Minds in Crisis
-Silent Scars Inside
The mental health of college students is emerging as a pressing issue that must no longer be overlooked. According to a 2023 research conducted by psychological counseling centers across Korean universities, 18.4% of nearly 60,000 college students were experiencing mild to severe depressive symptoms, which are classified as an early stage of clinical depression. Such psychological symptoms are not merely an individual’s emotional issue, but rather the consequences of structural problems within society that have accumulated over time. This indicates that many students are facing stress beyond their coping capability, evolving into feeling psychological distress, including anxiety and depression. These difficulties must be managed with professional intervention, instead of being treated as temporary emotional fluctuations. Because simple stress can eventually evolve into severe mental illness without appropriate countermeasures, early-stage counseling is essential. In fact, according to a study by Professor Kim Sang-dol of Kangwon National University, individuals who received mental health counseling within the past year were 5.09 times less likely to develop depression than those who did not. Truly, psychological counseling should be seriously considered as a treatment method for students facing related struggles.
-A Bridge to Healing: SKKU Counseling Center
As the psychological struggles of university students have developed as a growing issue, many universities have established a counseling system. Since its foundation in 1964, Sungkyunkwan University’s (SKKU) Counseling Center has provided mental health support for over 50 years. It offers professional counseling services to help individuals navigate various psychological challenges during their college life, in accordance with its mission to promote students’ emotional stability and academic persistence. The center is located on both campuses — one located on the first floor of the Dasan Hall of Economics on the Humanities and Social Sciences Campus (HSSC) and one on the third floor of the Shops & Services Center on the Natural Sciences Campus (NSC), available for all enrolled SKKU students. It conducts psychological assessments, as well as individual and group counseling, which students can select according to their needs. Kingos can register for such programs online, mainly through the Challenge Square site, which manages SKKU’s co-curricular activities. First, students must fill out the application form and select their desired program. Afterwards, they go through a brief psychological test, and finally, adjust their counseling appointment by phone call. Through these services, the SKKU Counseling Center plays a vital role in laying the foundation for Kingos’ mental health and recovery.
Pausing at the Doorstep of Counseling
-An Invisible Wall
Despite the availability of support systems, many students hesitate in front of the door of counseling centers due to the misleading social perception that associates counseling with severe psychological difficulties. As the stigma persists, many students hold concerns over the disclosure of personal information during the counseling process. Even though all details of counseling registration forms are kept confidential, students still feel uneasy about providing sensitive information such as their name, student identification number, and department. Hong, a student from the NSC, shared in an interview with the SKT, “I am concerned that the administrative records from the counseling sessions might result in unintended consequences later on.” Moreover, the physical location of the Counseling Center can pose a barrier for students, given the prominent prejudices surrounding mental health. The buildings housing the centers have high foot traffic on both the HSSC and NSC. While this may be convenient in terms of accessibility, it may also cause students to feel overly self-conscious. In an interview with the SKT, Lim, a student from the HSSC, said, “The possibility of someone seeing me entering the center makes me more hesitant than anything else.” These prevailing negative social perceptions place a heavy emotional burden on students even before counseling begins.
-Lost Before the First Step
In addition, a lack of information about the appropriate timing and counseling process is another barrier to applying for counseling. One common concern shared among students is the difficulty in determining whether their current emotional state warrants counseling. Bae, an HSSC student, told the SKT, “I am worried that if I apply for counseling, I might be taking away an opportunity from someone who needs it more urgently.” While the Counseling Center provides helpful information regarding the available psychological assessments on its website, some students may still find it challenging to determine the most suitable service for their specific situation. The center holds diverse assessments, including personality and interpersonal relationship tests such as the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Korean Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (KIIP). However, without more detailed guidance on whom each test is intended for or when it is most useful, some students may feel overwhelmed by the diverse options and experience uncertainty when selecting the proper assessment. Furthermore, the limited availability of feedback or reviews on the website regarding the Counseling Center’s programs makes it challenging for firsttime users to understand what the process is actually like. Kim, a student from the HSSC facing a similar problem, shared with the SKT, “I wanted to get a sense of what the counseling experience would be like, but there were not many reviews available.” As a result, the limited accessibility of information makes it harder for students to feel connected to the counseling services.
Making the First Step Easier
Introducing both institutional and technological mechanisms to counseling centers could significantly increase students’ access to mental health services. To reduce psychological barriers, adopting supplementary formats such as one-time consultations or anonymous online counseling systems could be helpful. For instance, Korea University’s Student Counseling Center operates an anonymous and private online counseling system to provide an environment where students can share their concerns without disclosing their name or affiliation. In an interview with the SKT, Hong said, “I once posted about my concerns in an online community and received comforting responses. If there is a space to express emotions anonymously beforehand, I think students would naturally feel more inclined to seek formal counseling.” Moreover, expanding the availability of information about the counseling programs and processes could be an effective way to encourage students’ participation. Offering more detailed guidance on the available psychological tests and each test’s intended audience may assist students in identifying the option that best fits their needs, potentially improving the overall satisfaction with the assessment process. Also, creating online boards — such as a testimonial board or a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section on their website — could help solve students’ concerns and curiosity. For example, Hallym University’s Student Life Counseling Center allows users to view anonymously shared testimonials through a dedicated page on their site. The center also provides pre- and post-counseling questionnaires to measure their effectiveness in objective numbers and show it to the public. If SKKU’s Counseling Center provides a similar mechanism, it will increase the students’ confidence in the system and strengthen its accessibility. Lastly, efforts at the institutional level could play a key role in changing perceptions about psychological counseling. Lim shared in an interview with the SKT, “If the school regularly emphasizes that counseling is available to everyone through its official social media accounts or newsletter, such efforts themselves can be a source of comfort for the students.” Even with all the mechanisms shared above, ultimately, the most crucial step in lowering the threshold to counseling is creating an environment where students feel free to seek support as part of their everyday well-being.
The key to opening the door to counseling is a small act of courage. The SKT hopes that the Counseling Center will continue to develop into a welcoming space where students feel encouraged to take that first step and begin their mental health journeys. For Kingos who still remain hesitant, it is never too late to take a deep breath, turn the handle, and confidently walk through the door.