How many of us have spent the better part of a day trying to get out of bed, or become unable to study because our brains are too busy running at top speed?
How many of us are unsure about who we are and what we want to do with our lives?
We all have days like that. And when you're in college, it happens more than you might expect.
But there's a light at the end of this tunnel: It's called mental health.
Mental health can mean different things for different people, but it's important for everyone, whether you're a student or not.
So whether you are figuring out how to ask for help from your parents, school counsellor, therapist, administrator, or you just want the tips for managing stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, then, you need to stick with us and I bet you won't regret spending your time here!
Why Is Mental Health Important for Students |
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Mental health is a term that refers to a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being.
It can refer to the ability of a person to handle day-to-day situations and stresses in a way that prevents mental illness.
In other words, it is about how we think, feel, and act as we cope with life.
Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
Throughout your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behaviour could be affected.
Anxiety disorders: Feelings of panic, uneasiness, or dread; worry or fear that interferes with daily life
Depression: Feelings of extreme sadness, despair, or hopelessness that interfere with daily life
Schizophrenia: Symptoms similar to psychosis; hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking or speech
Dementia: Memory loss and decline in other cognitive functions that can interfere with daily activities
Photo showing that mental education is important |
Mentally healthy people have a greater sense of well-being and purpose and are less likely to experience depression or anxiety disorders.
For example, depression is an illness that affects more than 300 million people worldwide and this number seems to be rising every year.
This alarming statistic not only has huge implications for individuals' well-being but also for society as a whole.
This is because depression can lead to other mental illnesses like anxiety, addiction, and suicidal thoughts or actions.
We now know how important it is to maintain good mental health and how bad it can get when we don't take care of ourselves.
Therefore, we all must make time for mental health education just like we do physical education.
Mental health is important because it determines our ability to handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can make a contribution to her or his community.
image showing mental health priority in college |
This can be seen through the lack of resources available to students struggling with mental health issues.
The lack of resources stems from the stigma that if a student is struggling with their mental health, they are weak and cannot handle college life.
However, there are many reasons why we should be focusing on prioritizing mental health in college.
One of the reasons is that it can help students to get better grades.
By doing so, they will have a better chance of getting into the colleges they want to go to and getting their dream job.
This would help our nation's economy because more people will be going on to do what they love as opposed to settling for something else.
Another reason why we should prioritize mental health in college is that it can help prevent suicide among students.
It has been found that most suicides happen during college years due to stress from schoolwork or other issues such as depression, anxiety etcetera.
Mental health is an integral part of your overall health and well-being.
What you may not know is that mental health plays an important role in your physical health, too. Research has found that there is a strong connection between your body and mind.
That’s why taking care of yourself is so important. If you have good mental health, it means that you are generally able to think, feel and react in the ways that you need and want to live your life.
If your mental health is poor, it can hurt every aspect of your life by causing stress and limiting the way you think, feel and act.
However, if you take steps to improve your mental health regularly, it can have a positive impact on everything from how you handle stress at work to how you interact with friends and family.
How you think: When you are mentally healthy, your thoughts are clear.
You can solve problems, plan for the future, and think critically.
However, if you aren't mentally healthy, you may have trouble concentrating or making decisions.
How you feel: Mental health also affects how you feel physically.
When you're mentally healthy, you're more likely to sleep well and have more energy.
You may also have a better appetite or be able to cope with pain.
If you aren't feeling well mentally, it can affect your physical health.
How you behave: Your mental health can also affect how you behave around others.
When your mental health is good, it's easier for you to relate to other people and form meaningful relationships.
But when it's not good, it can be harder for you to do these things."
Mental illnesses are as real as any other disease, and the problems they cause are no less.
Image showing how to know if you have a mental illness |
It's important to understand that symptoms can vary from person to person but some common signs include:
These data are according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) An approximated 49.5 per cent of young people had some form of mental illness.
A rough estimate of 22.2 per cent of teenagers with any mental condition had significant disability.
In the United States, 14.2 million persons aged 18 and older were expected to have Serious Mental Illness in 2020.
This figure represents about 5.6 per cent of all adults in the United States.
About 9.7 per cent of serious mental illness was found to be the most common among young people between the ages of 18 to 25 years, followed by 6.9% of individuals between the ages of 26-49 years, and about 6.9% of adults aged 50 and beyond.
Females were found to have a greater prevalence of Any Mental Illness (AMI) accounting for about 25.8% than males with about 15.8 per cent.
There are many common mental health issues that college students face. Some of the most common include:
Depression: College students often experience depression due to the overwhelming stress of being away from home, adjusting to a new environment, and trying to find their place in the world.
Anxiety: College students are constantly faced with new challenges and pressures, which can lead to anxiety.
Stress: The demands of college often cause students to feel overwhelmed and stressed. This can lead to problems such as increased anxiety, poor sleep habits, and weight gain.
In addition to the above-listed common mental health issues for college students, there are also other specific issues that some college students may face. These include:
How mental health affects physical health |
If we look at mental health as an independent factor, then it would be important to understand how it affects physical health.
The question is, how does mental health improve physical health?
We cannot run away from the fact that mental and physical health are closely interconnected.
For example, as a patient’s mental condition changes, their physical condition also changes as they adapt to their emotional state.
For instance, when someone feels depressed, they often feel fatigued or sleepy.
As a result, they will lack the motivation to get out of bed and go about their regular daily activities.
This is not only because they lack the energy, but also because they have lost interest in those activities altogether.
You should know that the human body works more like a system than as a collection of various parts.
Each part is connected to the other part in some way or the other.
The same is true for the mind and body connection. One’s physical and mental health are interconnected and linked to each other in many ways.
Various research studies showed how anxiety and depression can lead to serious illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes or increased blood sugar levels, etc.
Finally, mental illnesses like anxiety and depression can result in the secretion of large amounts of cortisol which eventually may lead to inflammation.
Many patients who suffer from high levels of chronic stress have been found to have an imbalance in their inflammatory cytokine levels.
In turn, this causes problems like obesity, heart ailments, diabetes, asthma, and arthritis among others.
Mental health is a growing concern, with the stigma surrounding it often deterring people from seeking help.
In light of this, schools should have a more formalized program that focuses on mental health issues, starting in childhood.
The stigma attached to mental illness has been a significant barrier to the acceptance of mental health as an important topic to be discussed at school.
Students who are mentally ill may feel embarrassed about their condition, and therefore not seek help.
This can often lead to them underperforming in school and withdrawing from social activities.
Mental illness is therefore a common issue that affects many students, so it is important for them to feel comfortable seeking help at school.
Having programs that focus on mental health would make students more aware of the problem and encourage them to reach out if they need assistance.
Mental health lessons could also benefit students who do not suffer from a mental illness themselves.
They could learn how to recognize symptoms in others, and how they can be supportive friends if they suspect someone may have a problem.
Many young people are not aware of the signs of someone struggling with depression or anxiety.
We, therefore, advise governments to enforce schools across the globe to implement mental health programmes for the Staff and Students
Mental health is an integral part of well-being. How we feel emotionally affects our physical health as well as how we perform at work, school or home.
It also impacts our relationships with others and how we feel about ourselves.
Good mental health helps can help us to deal with the stress of everyday life, work productively and enjoy socializing with others.
Mental illness is quite common. It’s estimated that 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime.
The truth is that "being stressed and depressed can affect your schoolwork".
That is, if you are stressed or depressed, you may have difficulties concentrating on your study, forget assignments or procrastinate until the last minute.
These behaviours will then lead to setbacks in your academic performance which can lead to further stress and depression.
Students must take care of their mental health as well as physical health to achieve academic success.
Therefore, Being a student requires more focus and attention than normal physical activities and poor mental health could lead to academic failure and dropout.
image showing how to become mentally healthy as a student |
First, make sure you get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation has been shown to have negative effects on your mental health, including increased anxiety and stress levels.
Most students don't get the recommended amount of sleep (7-8 hours per night) and this can lead to problems such as fatigue, poor concentration, and mood swings.
Another thing that you can do is to avoid eating junk food.
This will not only make you unhealthy, but it will also make it harder for you to focus in class.
Instead, try to eat healthy foods that will give you energy throughout the day.
Try to find a balance between studying and socializing. It is important to make time for both activities, but it is also important to avoid overdoing it.
Make sure to set boundaries and stick to them.
Another thing that you can do is establish healthy study habits.
One of the most important things that you can do is create a study schedule and stick to it.
This will help you stay organized and focused while studying.
Also, keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to becoming more mentally healthy as a student.
What works for one person may not work for another, so be patient and experiment with different strategies until you find something that works best for you.
Finally, try to stay optimistic all the time. This will help you deal with stress and negative thoughts in a better way.
Importance of Early Intervention of mental health |
In the beginning, mental health was seen as an entity of its own.
Most people who were diagnosed with a mental disorder were either institutionalized or put in asylums.
In addition, research in this area was limited to only the most severe cases.
Over time, however, medical professionals began to realize that this approach did not work for all patients and researchers began to conduct studies about disorders that only affected some patients and not others.
Today, there are many different treatment options available for those suffering from mental disorders.
One of the most important things that a person can do is early intervention for mental health disorders.
This means finding out what is wrong and treating it before it gets worse.
Early intervention is important because it helps prevent relapse and allows patients to take control of their lives again without having to rely on medications or other types of therapy that may have negative side effects.
There are many different kinds of treatment available today.
These include medication, therapy, alternative medicine, holistic approaches and even just talking with your doctor, parents, or even friends.
Social media has become such a huge part of our lives that it's hard to imagine life without it.
The Influence of Social Media on Mental Health is huge. It can be used for good and bad. Sadly, the bad part seems to be in the majority.
The Influence of Social Media on Mental Health is worth knowing because social media affects your thoughts and feelings every day.
Whether you're aware of it or not, social media is making an impact on your mood, emotions, and relationships.
Social media can influence our thoughts, moods, and behaviour by affecting how we interpret information about ourselves and others.
How does this happen? Social media creates a virtual world where people see what others are doing 24/7.
As a result, everyone compares themselves to everyone else online. You can't help but wonder why you're not as cool or successful as the people on your feed.
There is no doubt that social media has a huge negative impact on mental health.
One of the biggest problems with social media is that it can be addictive.
People often spend too much time on social media and neglect other activities in their lives.
This can lead to negative feelings such as anxiety and depression.
Another problem with social media is that it can lead to feelings of loneliness.
Lonely people tend to use social media more because it provides them with an opportunity to connect with others.
However, this connection is often superficial and doesn't last long.
Overall, social media has a lot of negative effects on mental health.
People need to be aware of these effects and take steps to avoid them.
image showing the positive impact of social media on mental health |
We use social media to connect with our friends and family members, find new jobs and even meet potential romantic partners.
But does it have a positive effect on your mental health?
The answer is yes! Social media can have a positive impact on your mental health, provided that you use it in the right way.
Here are some ways social media can help improve your overall mental health:
Social media can help us to find common ground with other people who are going through similar situations in their lives.
This can make our relationships stronger and more fulfilling in general.
Social media also gives us a place where we can share information about ourselves without having to worry about how others might react negatively toward us or judge us by what they see online.
This allows us to maintain our privacy while still engaging in meaningful conversations with others on sites like Facebook or Twitter.
However, this positive effect of social media cannot be overemphasized.
It is important to remember that social media should not be used to replace face-to-face interactions with friends and family members.
Instead, it should be used in conjunction with these relationships to improve your overall mental health.
image showing the role of meditation on mental health |
Meditation music can be very helpful in improving mental health.
It has been used as a part of preventive and complementary medicine for several years now.
There are different types of meditation, but they all have the same goal which is to bring peace to you, help you control your emotions, and release stress.
To achieve this, you need to practice meditation regularly and keep your body relaxed.
When you meditate regularly, it has numerous benefits for physical and mental health.
Regular practice of meditation can help reduce stress levels and improve moods.
It has also been shown to increase immune system function, reduce pain levels and prevent disease.
If you have trouble sleeping or have anxiety problems, meditation music may be beneficial for you as well.
Some studies have even shown that regular practice of meditation can prevent cancer and heart attacks as well as slow down the ageing process.
The most surprising thing about meditation is that it can help you improve your memory, creativity, concentration, and mood as well!
It also helps you increase your self-esteem by helping you feel more confident and secure in all aspects of your life including work, family, relationships etc.
Meditation music has been shown to help people with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and many other illnesses that affect memory such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
We hope this blog post has helped you understand why mental health is so important.
We’re not trying to scare you off from college or university life, but we want to make sure that you are aware of all the possible challenges that lie ahead. C
There’s no shame in having depression or another mental illness, but there is a lot of shame in suffering silently when help is available.
If you’re a student, teacher, or parent who believes in the importance of mental health and wants to see the world operate with a greater concern for mental health, speak up.
Talk to your friends, classmates, and coworkers; show them articles like this and make sure they’re not negative though.
Inform them of how common mental disorders are and how important it is that everyone learns about these disorders.
They need to be willing to talk about mental health issues in an open, understanding manner and make it acceptable for students to seek help when they have a problem.
We at Explore Health Blog believe that we all have the power to make our world a better place starting with ourselves.
We want you to know that you aren’t alone in your journey through life and that there are resources available if you need them!
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