South African research has shown that students have a greater risk of developing mental health disorders than the general population.
Research from the University of Cape Town found that almost 46% of medical students suffer from anxiety disorders. Furthermore, 13.6% of students more generally might develop depression. This far exceeds national prevalence: 15.8% of South Africans will experience anxiety at some point in their life, while 9.8% will experience major depression.
‘Mental health pandemic’
Mental health issues among students might be getting worse. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, global anecdotes have suggested a steady increase in individuals suffering from anxiety and other mental health disorders.
Recent scientific studies have confirmed these insights, and suggest the world might soon be facing a mental health pandemic. Importantly, an American study states that younger, more educated citizens or students have more anxiety issues caused by COVID-19 than others.
Why are students more affected?
Evidence from past pandemics warn that these increasing rates of mental health disorders are to be expected. However, students might be more adversely effected and likely to experience anxiety due to a few key factors: Pressure, expectations and — the brain.
Firstly, the academic and societal pressure on students might lead to higher rates of mental health disturbances.
Secondly, in today’s society, students face incredibly high expectations to succeed. In South Africa, many students who attend university, are the first of their family to do so. This creates an enormous expectation of success.
Families often invest substantially into university studies creating further pressure. Social media might increase these high expectations as young adults are constantly faced with images of financial success and prosperity.
And lastly, the rational part of the brain is only fully developed after the age of 25. This is important because before 25, young adults use the emotional part of their brain — the amygdala — to process information.
Researchers are discovering that this might make students more prone to experiences of stress and anxiety.
The consequences of such mental stress can be severe for students. Not only might mental health problems have devastating emotional impacts upon individuals, but they might also effect other areas of your life.
Anxiety may affect your academic performance and lead to lower exam scores. Researchers also suggest that depression could lead to higher drop-out rates among students. These issues also place students at greater risk for substance abuse and consequently more interpersonal problems.
Where to get help
There are a few ways that students can alleviate feelings of anxiousness and maybe even the #lockdownblues. As we showed in Just breathe: Three techniques to cope with stress and anxiety, simple breathing exercises have been shown to reduce feelings of anxiousness and improve mental functioning.
The serotonin increase associated with exercise and healthy diets can also provide relief. Strong support networks and emotional care are also key to helping individuals who are feeling vulnerable.
If you are a student and you think you might need just a little bit more help, have look at our simple guide to mental health support at SA universities to see where you can find some assistance.