Suicide rates among UK university students rise significantly: Report

The suicide rate for British university students has risen to its highest level leaving universities "overwhelmed," a new study found.

According to Press TV quoting the data from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), more students than ever are killing themselves due to financial and academic pressure.

The number of students with mental health problems at university has risen to its highest level with a record of 15,395 students. Based on the report, the students disclosed their mental health issues in their first year which is a fivefold increase in 10 years.

“Universities must be ready to support these students, including, where appropriate, through referral into specialist care. But the extent of support is currently too varied, and many university services are overwhelmed by the level of demand,” Craig Thorley, an IPPR senior research fellow, told The Guardian.

The IPPR think tank also revealed that in 2015, 134 students who suffered from depression and anxiety took their own lives leaving universities ‘overwhelmed’ by the increase in mentally ill students seeking help.

According to the report, the number of students who were getting help from counseling services, or were on the waiting list to do so, was as great as 26 percent in some universities.

“We know that the Government needs to do much more,” said Mark Salter, a spokesperson for the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

“Suicide is preventable … without proper resourcing and funding, we will not reduce suicide in England,” Salter added.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May triggered the formal, two-year process of withdrawing Britain from the European Union (EU) in March.

Ever since, there have been broad consensus among economists that Brexit will have a prolonged effect of the British economy and will ultimately diminish output, jobs and wealth to some degree.

Many business leaders are also concerned about May's decision to leave the EU single market, a free trade area of 500 million people, fearing its impact on jobs and economic growth.

ME