Dr. A
Member
- Introduction
- According to global statistics, out of every 100 youths, 20 suffer from a mental health condition. The leading cause of death among the age group of 15–29 years is suicide. The mental health of a student is of growing importance as it's pivotal for improved academic performance, socialization with peers, friends and family and for the overall health of a student.
- Academic stress, social pressures and responsibilities all cause excessive mental stress which, when overwhelming, causes poor academic output, disturbs social relationships, and diminishes morale.
- There is a need for awareness and support systems in schools to address the negative impact of stress on the mental health of students. Open conversations and understanding staff form the mainstay in availing such support.
2. Academic Stress and Pressure
- Academic stress can result from many sources, like upcoming exams, competitive grades, future uncertainty, extracurricular activities at competitive levels and complex subjects.
- Some of the ways to counter the effect of academic stress include:
- Stressing upon inculcating effective study habits and proper time management. Studying/practicing on a daily basis instead of piling up for the last day before exams/competition boosts confidence and eliminates the fear of poor performance. Allocating set time for specific tasks can break monotony and cover a wide range of subjects and activities.
- Adopting stress-relief techniques such as exercise, meditation and various hobbies in the school curriculum that students enjoy engaging in, rejuvenates their body and mind and improves focus.
- Allocating teachers, counselors, and seniors to students on a one-to-one basis for seeking support when in need without hesitation increases closeness, trust and develops a culture of reliable relationships.
3. Bullying and Its Impact
- Bullying at school is commonplace and causes a lot of distress to the victim. A lot of schools have condemned this act and strict punishments have been put in place. However, it is still not uncommon to hear such incidents time and again. There are different forms of bullying, such as physical, verbal and cyberbullying.
- Bullying in all forms has a negative impact on mental health and can cause palpable stress for the sufferer. It can cause anxiety, depression and low self-esteem, leading to a general repulsion to attend classes or activities regularly.
- A few strategies mentioned below can be employed to prevent and intervene bullying at school:
- Schools can enforce anti-bullying policies, like executing strict punishments for those caught in the act.
- Peer support and bystander intervention is critical here, as they are direct witnesses and can be the immediate reporters and help seekers.
- When bullying becomes constant, it needs adult intervention and therefore having a trusted adult for open communication is very important. Adults would usually know the appropriate authority to contact to help the suffering student.
4. Managing Time and Responsibilities
- Balancing academics, extracurricular activities and personal life can be overwhelming for some and hence, managing time and responsibilities wisely, is the key to destressing oneself in order to excel, both academically and in personal life.
- In order to avoid burnout, one must develop organizational skills and implement them to reduce inordinate expectations.
- The importance of self-care, relaxation and setting realistic goals cannot be overemphasized. These techniques help one have a calm mind, clear focus and fragmented workload and have time to relax.
5. Conclusion
- Students' mental health needs a proactive approach as it directly translates into improving quality of life, diminishing healthcare toll, stronger relationships and increased productivity.
- Schools, families and communities need to work together to nurture the well-being of students. A healthy individual means a healthy society. Since young minds are the future, their well-being is of the utmost importance to a nation and the world in general.
- Both online and offline resources for students seeking mental health support should be made readily available by schools. This makes students feel protected and provides easy and confidential access to the mental health services that most shy away from seeking. This also minimizes the stigma that is often associated with mental healthcare consultations.
- Empowering students with knowledge of mental health challenges and its basic non-pharmacological interventions equips every student with the ability to take control over one's own situation and also be able to help peers at the earliest. This also normalizes how difficulties associated with mental health are viewed by students.
