Essay Example about Students’ Mental Health

What exactly is mental health? To answer the question, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as "a state of well-being in which an individual recognizes his or her own potential, is capable of dealing with life's challenges, and works creatively and productively." However, there are instances when we are the polar opposite of this definition, and this is referred to as poor mental health. Unfortunately, students nowadays suffer greatly from this. We cannot deny that mental health issues such as depression and anxiety are evident among students, particularly those in senior high school and college. There are several factors that affect students’ mental health, and that is academic pressure, parental pressure, and peer pressure. 

Academic pressure is one of the factors that have a negative impact on students' mental health in so many ways possible, ranging from academic performance to heavy academic workloads, and poor time management. To be a good student, one must thrive in academic performance, which unfortunately not all students can attain. There are also times when they receive heavy academic workloads from their teachers, and the number of activities has pushed the limits of what can reasonably be accomplished in a given period of time. Furthermore, this leads to poor time management, as students struggle to organize their workload and, as a result, get anxious about how to divide their time for their other activities. This shows how excessive levels of academic stress greatly affect students' mental health which leads to an increase in the incidence of psychological and physical issues such as depression, anxiety, nervousness, and stress-related disorders.

Academic excellence has long been a representation of pride and power in our society. Of course, parents want a bright and happy future for their children, and knowing how competitive the world motivates them to push their children to excel in all areas. Growing high expectations of parents on students' academic performance, on the other hand, has become a major source of concern. We've all had parents that want us to get good grades because good grades signify a bright future career path. Without realizing it, they are putting a lot of pressure on their children, particularly those who are struggling in school. As a result of the enormous expectations placed on them, students have a fear of parental disappointment, which causes them to constantly overthink their future.  

It is not just academic achievement and expectations that have an impact on students’ mental health, but also how they interact with their peers. Students with weak personalities frequently cave to peer pressure and follow the crowd, even though they know it is not appropriate for them. Furthermore, students who believe they fit in at school are more likely to join in school activities, make friends, do well academically, and have better mental health; this is why students want to fit in at school. Lastly, the fear of rejection, an unreasonable dread that convinces people that they will not be accepted or approved by others because of their viewpoints, appearance, values, beliefs, or behavior. Students are particularly sensitive to this, particularly those who suffer from high levels of anxiety or those with emotions of loneliness, self-criticism, and low self-esteem.

This demonstrates how these three factors have a significant impact on students' mental health. There is no reason to believe that these issues do not exist around us. We must be aware of these factors and know the consequences. We must also educate students, parents, and others about the symptoms and treatments for mental health concerns in students. Everyone should be encouraged to believe in themselves because mental health is crucial.