College students are stressed ­— there’s no doubt about it. We’re working jobs, taking classes, working internships and trying to map out the rest of our lives.

With all these commitments and responsibilities, it can be easy to ignore our mental health.

According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, one in four people between the ages of 18 and 24 have a diagnosable mental illness.

The American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment reported in 2014 that 32.6 percent of students “felt so depressed that it was difficult to function” and 54.0 percent of students felt overwhelming anxiety.

The biggest contributors to those feelings were academics, finances and intimate relationships, according to the National College Health Assessment.

According to the Association’s National College Health Assessment, 54.7 percent of students said they felt above average stress or tremendous stress.

Stress, anxiety and depression all lend themselves to making a bad situation worse. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people aged 18 to 24, according to NAMI.

The assessment reported that 8.1 percent of students seriously considered committing suicide and 1.3 percent attempted suicide in the past year.

We as students need to do a better job of following the age-old adage, “check yourself before you wreck yourself.”

Talking to people about mental health can be difficult, students who feel lonely and ostracized may not reach out for help and students who notice change in their friends might not want to bring it up.

NAMI reported that 40 percent of students with mental health conditions did not seek help from their university. However, UK offers multiple services for students who may feel depressed, stressed or have other potential mental illnesses.

Stress, anxiety and depression may seem like a lot to handle but there are people who care enough to lend a helping hand. There are more students going through mental illnesses than we might realize and there is no shame in seeking out help.

To schedule an appointment with the counseling center you can call: (859) 257-8701 or come by the office in 106 Frazee Hall. To make an appointment with University Health Services’ Behavioral Health Clinic students should call 859-323-5511 or go through the MyUK portal. If someone has an emergency, they can call the on­—call counselor at 859-257-8701.