Did you know that one in four students is affected by a diagnosable mental health illness? According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), 40% of these individuals do not seek help and 50% have felt so anxious that they have struggled in school, making this an issue that should not be pushed to the side. However, even some people who seek help choose to forego treatment measures in college.

More students than ever before are entering college with pre-existing mental health illnesses whether they realize it or not. While some students come into this experience after receiving preliminary counseling or medication, they often neglect these measures quickly into their college career. NAMI explains that these students often fear being noticed at a personal counseling office or local pharmacy – both simple excursions to people who do not live with anxiety. However, for those who do, these trips can be some of the most anxious times as they often involve extremely public entrances on or near campuses.

Perhaps the biggest problem in this neglection is that these students are stopping medication or other forms of help in what is often a time when most of their stress sky rockets as they enter college. According to GoErie, the results can be detrimental from severe panic attacks to self-harm or, in extreme cases, suicide.

But for these students themselves, they often do not want to be seen as a “problem.” However, with thousands of college students seeking medical help for mental illnesses every year, many of these individuals don’t realize that they are absolutely not alone. In fact, students today facing health challenges are now able to get into college when, in the past, there is a chance they would not have.

Unfortunately, once they move away from family members who often ensure that they keep up on their medication or counseling, some students stop trying. Perhaps the new environment and constantly busy schedules are a factor.

When faced with finding their own new sense of independence in college, it becomes a challenge to stick to ways of controlling your mood or emotions through medication or other forms of assistance. Maybe you find yourself not being immensely affected by stopping treatment options. Often time, it takes a while for the effects of medication to fade. A few days off of a medication usually don’t make you feel too terrible, says Bruce Cohen, a psychiatrist at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts. With this small amount of fluctuation, it often dawns on such people that maybe they don’t actually need the medication, causing them to stop for good.

Before long, however, these students often experience more frequent periods of anxiety attacks, depression, and other symptoms associated with their condition. Likewise, such symptoms commonly occur after stopping counseling – especially with the fear of finding a new counselor in college, causing many students to terminate counseling assistance.

But it doesn’t end there. These symptoms can affect a student’s college experience in many ways. They may suffer academically, have trouble making friends, or even miss out on key college experiences, according to GoErie. Some may turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to self-medicate.

This isn’t to say that those with a mental health illness should never stop or alter their treatment methods. In fact, it is often encouraged with the guidance of professionals. As you get older, it may be necessary to alter your plans. However, it is best to get acclimated to a new lifestyle before making such a big decision. And remember – the personal counseling office always has its doors open and is completely confidential, regardless of your situation.