Factors that adversely affect a student's mental health
I have to prepare a 10 minute discussion on this subject.
Obviously I will use the internet and stuff but thought it would be good if I could get more views about it from you guys who have been in education
Thanks!
I'm fine! Totally fine. I don't know why it's coming out all loud and squeaky, 'cause really, I'm fine!
I found public speaking, which at art school was a regular occurrence, incredibly difficult and detrimental to my mental health. Smaller groups helped, but I don’t know what the answers are to address it. Being allowed to leave the room when the panic was just too much helped.
As a slightly older student I found it hard interacting with my fellow students. I was 21 I think when I started studying again (which isn't actually as old as I originally thought...) and I was also part time and was already working and they were all fresh out of college and living on site. I found that didn't help my mental health, especially when it came to group working.
And deadlines, hah. =/
I should be able to think of more things...
Living away from home for the first time at uni. It's a big transition to make for anyone but especially when social difficulties are thrown in. I found it massively hard to cope living with strangers.
Definitely public speaking - colleges and unis seem to think that throwing everyone in at the deep end is the way to learn how to do it. I think there should be more consideration for peoples' differences and abilities when it comes to presentations, etc.
Also, everyone's so keen to try and "fit in" when going to uni... and there's a lot of pressure to fit in. That can affect mental health.
What about at secondary school age? Bullying (which I suppose can happen at any age but probably more common at school?) Puberty! Relationships, family life... additional mental health conditions or physical health conditions. There's a lot of external things that can affect students' mental health, not just the studying side of it.
Last edited by nonperson : 25-02-2018 at 07:51 PM.
Tutors that wouldn't turn up when they were meant to turn up or do what they were meant to do. I found it really anxiety provoking having to wait outside their offices to arrive.
Tutors not marking work when they said they would and on some occasions losing it.
Having to listen to other students witter and mindless crap made me feel rather isolated and alone. Taking the brave decision to open up to other students who got it made up for this though :)
Home life. If they are being abused at home or if they live in poverty then that can effect a person's school life. They may not be able to perform to the best of their ability. If they are older and living away, then similarly if they are worried about family then that could effect their work.
Also pre existing health conditions (not just mental) can affect it too especially if they are taking medication eg they could be sleepy in the morning because their medication makes them drowsy. They could study much more effectively in the afternoon in this case. It would be effecting their mh because they could be worried about missing vital stuff and falling behind their classmates.
Wannabe CPN : -)
"He who is tired of Weird Al is tired of life." - Homer Simpson "I hear those voices that will not be drowned" Sanity is a nasty disease. The world would be a happier place without it. - Rilic
RIP Kat 4th July 1987- 11th June 2013
Issues outside of school, lack of understanding of MH from teachers, especially ironically the higher up teachers like my head of hall, being punished for panic attacks etc by being shouted at and dismissed, an overcrowded school, other pupils' negative attitudes towards me, the sets system. I ended up leaving school at 14 and going to a pupil referral unit before going to college to do my GCSEs and then A levels.
Don't know if any of that is helpful.
'Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you.'
['There is only one thing we say to death. Not today'.']
'We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell. Oscar Wilde
Its hard to dance with the devil on your back. Sydney Carter
Relationship with their peers. For example I had no friends in school and was badly bullied. That in turn caused me to SI and effected my mh. Also if I really hated PE so a hatred for the subject is another. Nobody wanted to be my partner and I hated the sports involved (with the exception of swimming). That combined with a teacher I hated effected my mh.
Wannabe CPN : -)
"He who is tired of Weird Al is tired of life." - Homer Simpson "I hear those voices that will not be drowned" Sanity is a nasty disease. The world would be a happier place without it. - Rilic
RIP Kat 4th July 1987- 11th June 2013
One factor that has affected my mental health at school and college is having a mental health condition.
From 13 or so I felt so wrong for not being able to answer "what is wrong?" or "what has happened?". I remember crying on my GP at 27 about how nothing had gone wrong and nothing had happened yet still I was struggling. She pointed out that I had a mental health condition and that was reason enough. For the first time I stopped beating myself up for struggling without a cause, some times there isn't a factor.
I was going to stress the outside/home factors. Things like food or housing insecurity, family dynamics, physical health issues, whether or not you have to work to support yourself while being a student... Very little of your life is spent in the classroom, and everything else that goes on influences your ability to be a student in some way.
One of my biggest issues right now other than financial insecurity/instability is that my accommodations are not sorted for one of my classes. It makes going to class extremely anxiety inducing (more than normal) as I cannot actually participate or learn.
Group work/group dynamics are really hard for me, and when having to do it in environments that are also overwhelming or challenging from a sensory standpoint makes things harder. Other students in my group don't understand this and get frustrated or annoyed with me which is hard.
People (professors and students) not respecting my gender identity, name, or pronouns at school.
Lack of access to gender neutral/safe bathrooms impacts me negatively as a student. It means I have to go out of my way on campus to find a safe bathroom, or often leave early or have to leave classes for extended time periods as there is not a bathroom nearby.
Please do not give me virtual hugs unless you are only using the hug function on threads. Thanks.
You can't always keep it separate.
This is happening, this is part of you.
Well done! Actually one of the things that irked me the most at school and uni was people making assumptions about what was affecting my mental health rather than asking me. More people should ask those that actually are struggling!
