STUDENT mental health in Scotland must be treated as a priority, the Liberal Democrats demanded after figures showed more than 45,000 people have used university counselling services in the last five years.
Statistics compiled by the LibDems show that over the last five academic years, 45,724 students have sought help from university counselling services.
The universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow reported the highest demand, with 8,105 and 9,308 students respectively seeking help over the period according to the figures, which were obtained under Freedom of Information.
Across Scotland 9,382 students sought counselling from their university in 2016-17 - down from the total of 11,981 recorded the previous year, but up from 6,002 in 2012-13.
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton said: "A student's time at university can be the time of their life but it can also be incredibly stressful. From anxiety over finances to stress related to academic work, there are challenges that can have implications for people's mental health."
A Universities Scotland spokesman said: "The well being of our students is our top priority. We understand that although university can be exciting and enjoyable, it can also be quite challenging at times. Whilst it's true that, in line with young people more generally, there has been an increase in demand for mental health support services, there are some positives to be found in the higher numbers of students seeking help."
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "We want all students and young people to have access to a consistent high level of mental health support across the country. Our ambitious Mental Health Strategy sets out clearly how we can improve intervention, and ensure better access to services."
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