Looking back on my teens and early twenties, I can truthfully say I and some of my peers succumbed to mental health (mH) illness at some point during our studies. Its quite unfortunate that during that time, mH awareness initiatives had not yet been implemented. Infact, there was very little talk and as a result understanding on the subject of mental health.

I am glad that in recent years, mH awareness initiatives have become widespread and with students being a high risk group, campaigns have even reached quite a number of academic institutions (although I feel more can still be done).

Students are highly susceptable to mH illness due to a combination of factors which fall under to groups, namely academic as well as social.

Academic pressures stem from heavy workloads, high expectations, competition and examination pressure which lead to stress and anxiety related mH issues. In an effort to cope with academic pressures, students then tend to develop irregular sleep schedules due to studying late. This results in sleep deprivation which exacerbates stress and mH concerns.

Contrary to popular beliefs, it is not only academic pressures that have a detrimental effect on a students mH, but also social stresses that come from life transitions, moving away from home and needing to adjust to a new environment that comes with their own concerns about fitting in, peer acceptance, bullying and in modern times, social media comparisons.

For students in tertiary institutions, financial worries about tuition, living expenses and seeking part time work add to stress levels. The inability for some to create a work school balance also adds to mH issues.

The most common mH issues for students include anxiety disorders, depression, eating and sleeping disorder as well as substance abuse.

As mitigation and preventative measures, it should come as a standard for all education faculty staff to be trained to identify signs of mH distress. Once identified, there should be mH counselling services readily available as at every education facility regardless of the level.

As a further preventative measure, schools and colleges ought to implement stress management programs. These can come in the form of workshops on relaxation and time management techniques, sports and arts programs amongst other extra curricular activities.

For students who have been identified as showing signs of mH distress, creating support networks in which they can connect and share their experiences is vitally important.

Be it at primary, secondary or tertiary level, regular wellness checks, enforcing antibullying policies as well as administering surveys to monitor student mH and identify potential issues is another measure schools can implement.

Lastly but not least, I shall repeat that it is of utmost importance to create awareness on issues of mH. Everyone should be encouraged and afforded platforms and opportunities to speak openly about mH and seek help when needed. This is the best way to break the stigma surrounding mH. At schools, this can be done by incorporating mH awareness into the curriculum at every level of education.

However, I wish to highlight that the benefits of good mH is schools should not be underestimated. In a learning environment that fosters good mH, students are better able to develop, learn and achieve their full potential. In addition, issues such as suicide and substance use and abuse can be significantly reduced .

DISCLAIMER: Please note that most posts are meant for educational and informative purposes. They are not intended to be used for self diagnosis or as treatment alternatives. If you or someone you know struggles with depression, addiction or any other mental health condition please contact a mental health professional or authorities near you.