STUDENTS are known for having numerous activities, having performance tasks that require creative thinking, making research papers, projects, and other school work. They are meant to do these things to build them up and equip them with knowledge. This is one way of preparing for the next stage of life in the future. Studying usually involves a significant commitment of time and effort and requires a disciplined routine to achieve academic success, which can place significant stress on mental health. It’s important that, in times of high stress, an individual has strategies in place to protect their mental health.
Everyone has experienced feeling mentally drained or stressed at times. Everyone has personal difficulties that lead to stress, which greatly affects our mental health. However, not everyone knows how to control it. Stress is the great enemy of students’ success. When struggling with depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues, working on assignments, and attending classes can become impossible.
Students often feel even more stress than most people. In 2022, a global survey showed that the Philippines has the highest number of young people experiencing high levels of anxiety and negative emotions associated with the climate crisis. Research shows that academic stress leads to less well-being and an increased likelihood of developing anxiety or depression. Additionally, students who have academic stress tend to do poorly in school. This shows how this stress can keep students from doing as well as they could. Moreover, according to Callum Clark, mental health can affect students at all stages of their university experience. Whether they are facing loneliness, anxiety, or even depression, mental health difficulties can have a significant impact on a student’s ability to engage with their studies, make friends and make the most of their university experience.
Thus, there is an ever-increasing need for a strong and resilient mental health system. Moreover, it is important to understand it and learn ways to deal with it so that it doesn’t disrupt the student’s life. Once the students learn how to reduce it, where they can, and cope with unavoidable stress, they’ll be well on the road to becoming the best students they can be. A good mindset is the fruit of good mental health. It encompasses how the students view themselves and those around them. It determines the decisions, choices, and actions, including how students relate to others and deal with stressful situations.
According to Mahatma Gandhi, “Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.” It simply stated that success flows from your mind.
Aside from that, Carol Dweck who is a pioneer psychologist firmly stated that a fixed mindset positions the student to believe that challenges cannot be overcome or that their skills cannot get better in a significant way. A person with a growth mindset, on the other hand, sees progression in a much different light. With effort, abilities improve. They embrace criticism, feedback, and challenges. They see them as an opportunity for development.
Students can be better able to cope with difficult times in their personal and professional lives. Aside from that, a mentally healthy student has a higher ability to take in new information, understand new concepts, and master new skills; there is increased learning, creativity, and productivity; there is more pro-social behavior; they can build relationships more effectively; they can make better decisions; and their physical health and life expectancy are improved.
Students that are having good mental health can make decisions analytically, can work together, can thrive, and reach optimal potential at work, study, and in life.
These positive effects of having good mental health support students and their larger community as they enter adulthood, which will lead to a successful life.
