Most Common Mental Health Issues Faced By Students, Its Symptoms And How To Deal With Them

World Mental Health Day: Increasing competition and the constant race in the education sector has put the students in a lot of stress. Here are the most common mental health challenges faced by students today; also knw how to deal with them..

New Delhi: October 10 is annually celebrated as World Mental Health Day and is used to specially create awareness and advocate against social stigma and to also promote global mental health education. First celebrated in 1992, World Mental Health Day is an extremely important day as today, each and every individual is going through some sort of stress, especially students. With increasing competition and the pressure to perform the best, it is extremely common for students to face mental health challenges which affects their performance and also alter their basic nature and behaviour. On World Mental Health Day, take a look at the most common Mental Health Issues faced by students and the ways with which they can deal with these challenges..

Depression

The most common form of Mental Health Problems is Depression and multiple students go through this. According to American Psychiatric Association, Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home. Depression is one of the most treatable mental disorders for which you must first visit a health professional and then take the required treatment; you can lso take psychotherapy and consult a therapist.

The Depression Symptoms include-

1. Change in sleep pattern or appetite
2. Feeling very sad, hopeless and/or powerless
3. Social behaviour changes, like isolating yourself and withdrawing yourself from others
4. Increased feelings of negativity and pessimism
5. Problem in maintaining focus and concentration
6. Losing interest in life and difficulty in comprehending or completing tasks

Anxiety

Another very common disorder, especially in students, is Anxiety. The American Psychological Association defines Anxiety as an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure. It also says that people with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns and they may avoid certain situations out of worry. Anxiety is not the same as fear. Common types of Anxiety Disorders include Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Social Anxiety Disorder. Apart from psychotherapy and medication, there are several natural ways like deep breathing, meditation and healthy eating, that help during anxiety attacks.

Anxiety Symptoms include-

1. Irritability
2. Trouble concentrating
3. Feelings of stress, restlessness, apprehension, or fearfulness
4. Muscle pain and tension
5. Headaches
6. Frequent upset stomach or diarrhea
7. Excessive sweating and dizziness
8. Shortness of breath

Suicidal Ideation

Suicidal Ideation (SI) as defined by the US Government, is a broad term used to describe a range of contemplations, wishes, and preoccupations with death and suicide. There is no universally accepted consistent definition of SI, which leads to ongoing challenges for clinicians, researchers, and educators. The increasing number of student suicides in the country is not an unknown fact and this is a mental health issue that should be the prime focus. In case it seems like a person has suicidal intentions, you must try and speak to the person and encourage them to see a mental health professional.

Suicidal Ideation Symptoms Include-

1. People who have the idea of suicide in their minds, may talk about feeling trapped, feeling as if they are a burden and have no reason to go on, thus, want to end their lives
2. Anxiety, Irritability, Rage, Depression, Humiliation and loss of interest in activities is also a symptom
3. People who behave differently, like giving away prized possessions, withdrawing from friends and family, visiting people to tell them goodbye and searching online about how to commit suicide

Eating Disorder

There are a lot of students who will suddenly reduce their appetite or there are major alterations in their daily diet that are visible- all this counts as eating disorders. These eating disorders ranges from from deprivation to binge eating and then purging. The common eating disorders include Anorexia Nervos which is an unhealthy fixation on thinness and fear of gaining weight, Bulimia Nervosa where a person unusually eats a lot of food and then fasts/purges/overexercises and Binge Eating Disorder which is characterised by constant cravings resulting in overeating. The treatment for these disorders includes psychological therapy, monitoring of the food and nutrition intake and sometimes, medication.

Eating Disorder Symptoms Include-

1. Distorted or poor body image
2. Excessive exercise
3. Irregular heartbeat
4. Dehydration
5. Feeling like your eating is out of control
6. Fear of eating in public
7. Constantly making excuses for eating habits