Summary
In recent years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has made significant efforts to raise awareness of mental health disorders. However, the rise in political and economic tensions appears to be undermining this awareness. The WHO refers to this twenty-first century as the error of anxiety. In 2019, it was estimated that 1 in every 8 people, or 970 million people worldwide, suffered from a mental disorder, with anxiety and depressive disorders being the most common (World Health Organization, 2022). Furthermore, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant increase in the number of people living with anxiety and depression in 2020. Initial estimates show a 26% to 28% increase in anxiety and major depressive disorders in just one year (World Health Organization, 2022). Unfortunately, the majority of these incidents occur among students. Therefore, the purpose of this essay is to discuss various causes of mental illness, such as academic pressure, new environments and loneliness, financial distress, bullying and social discrimination.
Academic Pressure
Most college students feel immense pressure to succeed academically. The desire to achieve higher grades against all odds may escalate the levels of stress and anxiety (Karaman et al., 2019). This may compel the students to overwork themselves and neglect their well-being. Besides, there are numerous assignments in college education where teachers distribute the assignments without imposing any pressure on the students to complete them. This lack of pressure may trigger procrastination, a condition that may become an underlying mechanism for anxiety. When this happens, especially to students who are under pressure to succeed, they are more likely to experience trauma and express anxiety about their future grades and overall position. Furthermore, according to Karaman et al. (2019), students who spend the majority of their time in academic pursuits at college may have mental illness prompted by poor academic performance. Moreover, those who see academic success as the key to unlocking new opportunities, such as job placements and admission to postgraduate programs, may experience severe trauma and stress if they fail to achieve the highest grades.
New Environments and Loneliness
People who are born and raised in a given community adopt and attach themselves to that particular municipality. However, when they move to new societies, they may be traumatized by the change in environment and culture. Society has a major influence on an individual’s ideologies, thoughts, and self-actualization. Perceptibly, it influences a person’s self-description and identification. As a result, the community has a significant impact on a person’s mental health. For instance, when students coexist with others in a relatively familiar environment, their mental health is likely to improve and stabilize. However, if a student is in a new environment, the situation becomes different. They will feel lonely and develop a fear of the unknown, especially those who are introverts. As a result, loneliness and new surroundings are likely to propagate disorders in students.
Consequently, the advent of online learning which is known to discourage physical interaction, has triggered concerns about social isolation and loneliness among students. In the modern world, various institutions of higher learning have begun to incorporate online learning to ensure that the learning process continues, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. This method of learning has limited students’ ability to interrelate with their peers in a classroom setting. It has perpetuated some students’ inherent social conditions and situations, particularly introverts. Furthermore, Loades et al. (2020) state that young adults, who constitute the college population, have a higher rate of depression, which can lead to anxiety. Similarly, having few friends is linked to self-soiling and loneliness, putting the students at risk of developing mental illnesses while in school environments.
Financial Distress
Financial difficulties associated with poverty and poor housing increase the possibility of developing mental problems among students. Poverty is associated with poor academic performance among students in terms of behavior, cognition, and attention issues (Jochman et al., 2019). As a result, it is linked to stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental problems associated with young adults. Furthermore, poverty is one of the primary factors that is known to increase the risks of experiencing trauma and abuse. A high-income inflow into a household reduces the risk and likelihood of domestic violence. However, when the situation is otherwise, the students are at risk of being exposed to unbearable home environments, resulting in mental problems.
Similarly, students from low-income families internalize the pressure and desire to escape poverty. They are bothered and stressed by their fear of poverty and desire to become wealthy because they believe it will cost them dearly if they fail to overcome poverty (Jochman et al., 2019). Students living in substandard housing are more likely to develop low self-esteem and confidence. They consider themselves unworthy and inferior to their counterparts who are in wealthy families. Other students may also discriminate against and undervalue them, creating stressful and adverse mental conditions. As a result, it is prudent for students not to allow their social situation of poverty and poor housing to undermine their confidence and self-esteem.
Bullying and Social Discrimination
Bullying and social discrimination inflict mental health problems on students. This may significantly affect performance and cause long-term health issues. Bullying, particularly in the school setting, affects both victims and perpetrators in different ways (Skilbred-Fjeld, Reme & Mossige, 2020). It can result in traumatic behavior, and bodily consequences, as well as affect one’s identity. Modern cyberbullying is known for instilling anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression in young adults (Skilbred-Fjeld et al., 2020). Psychological discomforts and distress caused by bullying may result in personal thoughts toward another person, causing harm to oneself. Students are more likely to act in ways that can lead to suicide attempts and other forms of self-harm when they are subjected to bullying and discrimination. Furthermore, the low self-esteem created by discrimination may limit a person’s interaction with others, thus becoming an introvert. Therefore, the victims experience anxiety and depression as a result of this state.
In conclusion, it is evident that academic pressure, new environments and loneliness, financial distress, bullying and social discrimination are among the risk factors for mental health issues in students. The prevalence of mental illness is higher among students, raising concerns about finding feasible solutions to the phenomenon. As a result, it is critical for society to act quickly in limiting instances of stress and anxiety in order to realize high levels of sound mental health among students. This action will contribute to the development of a mentally healthy society. Additionally, governments, in collaboration with various educational institutions, should establish mental health facilities in every school to help combat the mental health crisis. Mental health reduction and awareness should be included as a co-curricular activity in all schools, if possible.
References
Jochman, J. C., Cheadle, J. E., Goosby, B. J., Tomaso, C., Kozikowski, C., & Nelson, T. (2019). Mental health outcomes of discrimination among college students on a predominately White campus: A prospective study. Socius. Web.
Karaman, M. A., Lerma, E., Vela, J. C., & Watson, J. C. (2019). Predictors of academic stress among college students. Journal of College Counseling, 22(1), pp. 41-55. Web.
Loades, M. E., Chatburn, E., Higson-Sweeney, N., Reynolds, S., Shafran, R., Brigden, A., & Crawley, E. (2020). Rapid systematic review: the impact of social isolation and loneliness on the mental health of children and adolescents in the context of COVID-19. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 59(11), 1218-1239. Web.
Skilbred-Fjeld, S., Reme, S. E., & Mossige, S. (2020). Cyberbullying involvement and mental health problems among late adolescents. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 14(1). Web.
World Health Organization. (2022). Mental disorders. Web.