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Importance of Mental Health in College

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College life is full of challenges an average student has to struggle decently. Studying is not the only thing that occupies a learner's thoughts. Except for writing assignments and endless memorizing or research, a person needs to pay bills, cover tuition and living expenses, solve different problems, and find time for personal well-being. Besides, students are not isolated and should fit the college environment that includes grades, fashion, leadership, friendship, and even conflicts. Lauren Bradshaw, a professional academic writer at CustomWritings, regards colleges as a football field that introduces the qualities of a player. If a footballer is goal-oriented, he will score a goal no matter what. He may get traumas, but the final result is worth it. Unfortunately, not all players can win. The same happens to students. Some of them cannot graduate or are struggling all the time because of mental disorders that imprison them. Lack of mental freedom affects reputation, grades, and overall health. New centers for mental support appear daily. This evidence signals the growing number of suicides, depressions, panic attacks, and other mental disorders among students and other citizens of the planet.

The Most Common Mental Disorders Among College Students

Psychologists differentiate the five most common mental disorders among college students.

Depression

This disorder is typical for students who cannot cope with academic load and homesickness. The third reason usually includes problems of intimate character. Depressed people try to isolate themselves from the world and become dispassionate. A student loses interest even in favorite activities and communication. 

Eating Disorders

Students with such disorders feel guilty about food consumption. It is trendy to be slim or stereotypic 90-60-90. There are merely two types of eating disorders - bulimia and anorexia. They usually attack those who do not suit the proportions or are afraid to exceed the limit. Insufficient levels of vitamins, minerals, carbs, fats, and proteins prevent proper body functioning and result in diseases.

Anxiety Disorders

Students worry about everything. They are anxious about the approaching exams, tests, labs, essays, research papers, reports, and reviews combined with the need to budget and manage time properly to tackle everything. Not everyone is ready to do that being a freshman. Even senior students often fail because they want to have fun instead of round-the-clock cramming and working. Soon, simple worries become obsessive and appear without any reason. Unreasoned attacks of panic and disturbance are signals of anxiety disorders that might turn a person into a psycho. 

Sleeping Disorders

The night is for rest. When brains do not rest or a person cannot relax because of anxiety, a person becomes exhausted. Such students have memory gaps because their consciousness switches off from time to time as if getting a minute of sleep. Besides, they are not attentive, organized, and concentrated on learning. Driving, labs with the use of chemicals, and part-time duties that involve sharp objects become life-threatening for the exhausted brain. 

Suicidal Thoughts

Hardships either make students strong and flexible or ruin their world and turn them into losers. Their self-esteem becomes low, and they start thinking about committing suicide. They surround themselves with negative thinking and can affect others.   

How to Prevent Mental Disorders and What to Do? 

These five disorders might lead to other mental problems that are hard to control. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder might be inherited or acquired due to abnormal stress or brain exhaustion. Our brain can create realities and shift a student's consciousness there. As a result, students do not believe that their reality does not exist because their brains provide hallucinations that confuse and mislead. 

Prevention of Mental Problems

What to do to prevent these mental problems? Lauren Bradshaw recommends doing the next things that might rescue a person.
  • use apps to manage your time
  • always outline papers and follow the plan no matter what
  • reward yourself when you cope with the assignment
  • prioritize things to avoid multitasking
  • do not neglect chats that make you happy
  • have a hobby that helps to relax and 'switch off' brains thanks to a distraction
  • share responsibilities if possible (for example, hiring an editor will promise higher grades)
  • sleep enough and take breaks when doing monotonous tasks
  • eat healthily and be active 
  • remain goal-oriented
A student must find the motivation to start, continue, and finish their studies. Weak self-motivation gives birth to lame excuses and, as a result, failure. The modern world requires people who are flexible and not afraid to face difficulties. 

What to Do When a Person Is Mentally Sick?

Sometimes students stop being themselves. They start speaking about weird things and their behavior usually is risky for their health. Some students try to manage worries with the help of stronger feelings like extreme sports. This is not an anomaly for those who always were fond of such activities. Some students cut themselves to substitute soul pain with physical one. Others either create another reality like schizophrenics or try to stop their sufferings by killing themselves.It is very essential to notice the first signs of disorders among students. Parents, friends, teachers, and classmates should try to help a person who tries to overcome mental problems. First off, the dearest people are not to remain idle. Their job is to calm such students down and give them a reason to return to a normal lifestyle. Second, if all attempts to help are useless, it will be better to find a specialist who knows what to do. For example, people usually have to take pills and go into therapy to cope with depression and anxiety. A psychologist's assistance is helpful in all cases. Nevertheless, friends and relatives should not shift the responsibility to a specialist. Their job is to help an expert to achieve the desired results. A mentally ill person requires the support of those who she or he trusts. Such individuals are not psychos. They are people who lack attention when facing the most difficult times. That is why it is necessary to do everything possible to preserve mental health and help those who might acquire chronic mental disorders. Everybody knows that it is easier to prevent the disaster than to manage the consequences.
Categorized into General Health