Take action: students have become much more likely to turn to psychologists

The need of Russian students for psychological help is growing rapidly. The number of people seeking consultations has increased by almost 36% over the year, according to the Ministry of Education and Science. The staff of university psychologists has also increased significantly, more than doubling in five years. Experts attribute the situation not so much to indicators of anxiety levels, which are high, for example, among first-year students, as to the attention of young people to the topic of mental health. Asking for support is becoming the norm and is already welcomed in society, not frowned upon.

How many students have asked for help

In the 2024/25 academic year, 194,000 people applied to the psychological services of Russian universities, and 263,000 consultations were provided to them, the Ministry of Education and Science told Izvestia. A year earlier, 142.7 thousand people needed psychological help, and each received an average of two consultations. Thus, the number of requests increased by 35.9%.

589 students who came to psychologists turned out to be veterans of the SVO, and 2,285 were children of participants in the special operation, the ministry said.

The Ministry of Education and Science also recalled that since 2022, there have been 24-hour federal and 144 regional hotlines for university staff and students. They received 84.7 thousand requests, including 24.7 thousand for psychological help. The rest dealt with legal issues.

Earlier, Izvestia reported that one in five Russian first-year students has low or very low mental stability.

As explained by Tatyana Tikhomirova, head of the Federal Resource Center for Psychological Services in the Higher Education System of the Russian Academy of Education, Olympic athletes have been in a state of mental stress for a long time, which leads to a loss of self-confidence and increased sensitivity to external circumstances. There are also problems with the stability of first-year students, who remain in arrears after the session. As a result, young people with low mental stability begin to attend classes irregularly and tend to conflict with teachers.

The Ministry of Education and Science, quoting this study, noted that specialists from the psychological services of universities provide first-year students with assistance in a situation of academic failure.

"Mental stability, according to the study, can be adjusted by specialized programs and trainings within the framework of the activities of psychological services of universities," the ministry noted.

How do university psychological services work?

The Ministry of Education and Science explained that psychological services of universities should ensure the creation of a safe and comfortable environment, create conditions for positive socialization, and provide support to students who have behavioral disorders and addictions. Since 2020, the number of psychological services in Russian universities has increased from 256 to 538, employing over 2.5 thousand specialists, the ministry said.

In addition, in the 2024/25 academic year, the department, together with the Russian Academy of Education, organized professional development programs, in particular, on emergency and crisis care, on first aid, on the work of a psychologist with the consequences of military mental trauma, and on crisis counseling.

Stress has been pumped up: more than 20% of first-year students have low mental stability

Many people start university in a state of emotional burnout.

— Psychologists conduct consultations on various issues: helping students resolve difficult life situations, overcoming emotional difficulties and making important decisions, family difficulties, adaptation problems, increased anxiety, depression, — Natalia Dunaeva, head of the Center for Socio-Psychological Support of Students at Nizhny Novgorod State University, told Izvestia.

According to her, during the work of the Center — from 2019 to 2025 — 17,584 people took part in the psychological testing of first-year students. And more than 3 thousand are involved in psychocorrective measures aimed at forming a personality's resistance to difficult life situations.

The press service of Kuban State University said that the staff of the psychological service of their university work, in particular, with the curators of study groups, including training them in preventive work with students with suicidal intentions, teaching the algorithm of behavior in situations of suicidal risk. During the pandemic, live broadcasts were held, and experts answered students' questions about ways to overcome anxiety and panic, and support themselves and their loved ones.

Why do students turn to psychologists more often?

The increase in student requests for psychological help is not only an indicator of increased anxiety, says Tatiana Goldman, a practical psychologist and member of the Association for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

"In recent years, there has been increased attention to the topic of mental health, and this directly affects the behavior of young people: seeking support is becoming the norm, not something stigmatized," she told Izvestia. — Students are objectively in a period of high workload. This includes the educational process, exams, the need to decide on a future profession, and personal issues that also become more acute at this age. All this creates significant psychological pressure, so the need for support is naturally growing.

Goldman also drew attention to the fact that the availability of psychological assistance in universities has increased, and awareness of the possibility of getting counseling has increased.

"When help gets closer and clearer, people use it more often," she said. — The increase in the number of university psychologists is a reflection of the state position recognizing the importance of psychological well—being. It's not just about dealing with difficulties that have already arisen, but also about prevention, which reduces the risks of more serious problems in the future. In this sense, the current dynamics rather indicates the development of a support system.

In recent years, the system of psychological assistance in educational institutions has undergone a noticeable transformation, said Maria Todorova, a child and family psychologist and consultant on children's education.

— From a formal and largely reactive model towards a more lively and in-demand practice. Previously, a psychologist in the educational system was often perceived as a specialist in case of a problem, who is already being approached in a crisis situation," she explained. — Now we are witnessing a gradual transition to a preventive model, where assistance becomes a regular part of the educational environment.

Todorova noted that young people today really reach emotional and personal maturity later.

— This is due to the changing social conditions: they have improved significantly, many do not need to earn a piece of bread from a young age. Therefore, the request for support, which is typical for adolescence, naturally persists during the student years," the expert said.

According to her, a significant part of students still have a high need for stable support — for a figure that helps to cope with stress, uncertainty and inner feelings. In conditions when traditional forms of support — family, stable social environment — weaken or become less accessible, a psychologist at the university can partially take over this function.

The expert also believes that the increase in complaints does not solely indicate an increase in anxiety or a worsening of the psychological state. To a large extent, the trend indicates the formation of a new culture of self-esteem: the current generation is more attentive to their mental health than the previous ones. Contacting a psychologist is no longer perceived as an extreme measure and becomes a normal practice of self-support.