Friday, April 5, 2019
Mental Health Issues among University Students
moral wellness Issues among University StudentsIntroduction noetic wellness put out among university students is a major growing wellness reverence. Research conducted in recent geezerhood has established that cases of students diagnosed with genial health issues argon on the rise. A study conducted by the National confederacy on Mental Illness (NAMI) found out that one in quaternion students in the US contacts from a cordial-related health issue. In the UK, university counselors gain reported change magnitude cases of students dealing with kind-related issues. A survey conducted by NUS in 2014 established that 75% of the students suffered from a mental health issues (Winrow, 2017). There atomic number 18 to a fault increased cases of university students dropping out of school because of being overwhelmed by mental health issues. Mental health emplacement of a university student is of uttermost importance because it plays a critical role in shaping the education life.In the UK, about15,000 first year students reported dealing with mental health issues (Burns,2017). The figures are a sharp contrast to about 3000 students in 2006 that werediagnosed with mental health issues. Surveys conducted by different companieshave also established that females are more likely to report a mental healthissue than males.Mental health issues preserveing university studentsThere are numerous mental health issues that affect university students. Depression is among the preponderant mental health issues among students. A survey conducted by YouGov found that 77% of students with mental health issue had depression (Aronin and Smith, 2016). Anxiety is another mental health issue facing university students. Anxiety is largely caused by divergent issues like exam fear and experiencing operoseies while studying. University education is quite demanding and may prove a high-energy consuming activity for some students. Students are also evaluate to attain a legitimate sco re to guarantee them a pass in a certain class. Resultantly, some students may cause anxious about their performance, which may affect their mental status. Stress among university students is another major mental health issue. Stress among university students is influenced by different factors. The highly demanding university studies are a leading cause of straining among the university students. opposite causes of stress include examinations, deadlines, managing debts and demand coursework. Other mental health issues facing university students in the UK include self-harm, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, and addiction.Causes of mental healthissuesThere are numerousand divergent students pressures that may cause mental health issues. TheyincludeLiving respectively for the first timeSome university students are compelled to live independentlydepending on the location of the university they study. Living away from theirhomes may result to loneliness. Students living alone may olfactory property overwhelmed byresponsibilities, which they are expected to do on their own. At clock, theymay also feel scared. much(prenominal) situations may lead to mental health issues.Managing an increased workloadStudents are expected to go by dint of a large amount of workloadduring their university education. Students are expected to bear the amount ofworkload expected in a university. However, some students find it a tall order,which may make them uncomfortable and unhappy. deceaseing to manage increasedworkload can result in poor performance. Such students may fail to completeassignment and fail to meet deadlines set for different academic activities. Asa result, such students may develop stress, which affects their mental healthstatus.Additional work responsibilitiesSome students may be in resided in other responsibilities likeworking on a temporary basis. They may engage in such activities to raiseincome that will help them to sustain their university educat ion. Balancingbetween education and part-time cable is at times a challenge that may bringhealth mental issues. refinement shock, language barriers, and homesicknessInternational students studying in different UK universities sufferfrom culture shock, language barrier, and homesickness. These students arecompelled to precede their families and countries and embark on education in theUK. They are compelled to go through adifficult completion of learning a new culture feel like strangers. Culturaldifferences may at times feel strange and difficult to adopt. Internationalstudents also experience language barrier, which may make it difficult for themto comprehend what the professors are saying. Language barrier may also make itdifficult for such students to move with local students. Internationalstudents experience homesickness because they are separated from their familyand loved ones. Such issues lead to substantial levels of stress, which affecttheir mental health status.Increase d study costsThe cost of funding university education is on the rise.Resultantly, students are increasing a difficult situation of dealing with the exalted expenses to fund their education. A research conducted among 2000students by NUS established that a third of them report of having mental healthissues because of financial problems (Minsky, 2016). The students stated creditcard game and payday loans as some of the financial problems that contributed tomental health issues. Maintenance loans given to students results in increasedstress because students are worried about their debts.Increasingly competitive job marketThe job market is getting increasingly competitive, which results inincreased pressure among university students. New grads looking for jobs arecompelled to cope with increased competition. Employers have increased thecompetitiveness of the job market because they are looking for grads thatpossess hard and STEM skills. Universities are churning out students, who donot have employability skills that can match the fast-changing skills thatcharacterize the competitive job market.Curbinghealth mental issuesBesides relying on health authorities to monitor mental health issuesamong students, universities need to increase support services that should lookafter their own students to help them deal with mental health issues. Thealready established support services that deal with mental health issues areoverwhelmed by the increasing number of students affected. A study conducted byIPPR found out that one in four students is using or waiting to use counselingservices. In Leeds University, the study found out that at that place was a 50%increase in demand of mental health services, while the University ofBirmingham there has been an one-year increase of 5-6% for the past 10 years inneed of the services (Burns, 2017). Universities need to prioritize mental healthissues and channel more resources and effort towards curbing the issues.Additionally, universit ies need to improve students access to National HealthService (NHS)In summary, it is evident from the above discussion that mentalhealth issues among university is a major concern that should be taken moreseriously given the rising cases of the affected students. Mental health issues fundament from different student pressures like living independently for the first time,managing an increased workload, additional work responsibilities, and soaringuniversity cost. Students may experience different mental health issues likedepression, stress, anxiety, and eating disorders. Universities need toincrease their efforts towards establishing the aright support services tohandle increasing cases of students experiencing mental health issues.ReferencesAronin, S. and Smith, M. (2016). YouGov One in four students suffer from mental health problems. online YouGov What the world thinks. Available athttps//yougov.co.uk/news/2016/08/09/quarter-britains-students-are-afflicted-mental-hea/Accessed 15 Feb. 2018.Burns, J. (2017). Sharprise in student mental illness. online BBC News. Available at http//www.bbc.com/news/education-41148704Accessed 15 Feb. 2018.Minsky, C. (2016). UKstudents mental health affected by financial worries. online Times HigherEducation (THE). Available athttps//www.timeshighereducation.com/student/news/uk-students-mental-health-affected-financial-worriesAccessed 15 Feb. 2018.Winrow, L. (2017). more(prenominal)students are dropping out of university because of mental health. online TheIndependent. Available athttp//www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/more-students-are-dropping-out-of-university-because-of-mental-health-problems-a7788901.htmlAccessed 15 Feb. 2018.
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