Today, we know that wellness is not only about physical health and that it is also important to understand and combat the factors that affect mental health.
Emotional problems have become a true global epidemic with serious consequences, and young people are among the most vulnerable populations. That is why it is essential that at the university you know what are the factors that affect the mental health of students and how to actively combat them.
Today we know that comprehensive health not only encompasses the physical, but also the mental, emotional and social. In addition, mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, are responsible for the highest percentage of days off work and academic.
A student with mental problems who does not receive adequate attention and support will face many additional difficulties to finish their training, and a much higher risk of dropping out, not to mention that mental illnesses also increase the chances of suffering from addictions and self-destructive behaviors. .
Promoting the mental and emotional health of university students is essential for the new generations to successfully integrate into society and help build a better world for everyone, but it is undoubtedly a complex challenge, where to start and what is in progress? our hands do as an institution of higher education?
First of all, we need to know what are the factors that affect the mental health of students and what are the most common conditions that derive from them.
In addition to generating that awareness, we must move towards specific strategies to promote mental health among our students, teachers and administrative staff.
What are the factors that affect mental health of college students?
Although some mental illnesses and conditions have a strong genetic determination, in most cases they appear due to a combination of factors that come from both the individual and their context.
Currently, seven of the most widely recognized causes that can trigger a mental disorder in young people are the following:
1. Lack of soft skills
Soft skills or soft skills are skills that help us to better relate to ourselves and others, but also to be more assertive, to make better decisions and to manage ourselves to achieve our goals .
When students reach the university stage without developing and strengthening their soft skills, they can have many interpersonal problems, make critical mistakes and have chaos with the organization of their time, which will slowly erode their mental health, since they are more exposed to constant stress.
2. Excess academic load
The increase in stress does not always derive from a lack of self-management and assertiveness, it can also be due to the fact that the academic load genuinely becomes unmanageable, unless hours of sleep and moments of leisure and self-care are sacrificed.
3. Socioeconomic problems
Socioeconomic difficulties have been shown to have a negative impact on self-esteem, frustration tolerance and a sense of belonging, three fundamental aspects of mental health that, when compromised, can lead to constant anxiety and depression.
4. Addictions
Addictions are a problem that threatens young people from all social classes, and are considered in themselves a mental health problem, which in turn can trigger a wide range of additional mental disorders due to neuronal damage, degradation of interpersonal relationships and withdrawal syndrome.
5. Irresponsible use of technology
Social networks and video games can also become an addiction, but there are other dangers associated with the use of digital technology and the internet, since by consuming content indiscriminately or worrying too much about the number of followers, you can put your self-esteem and connection to reality.
6. Bullying and discrimination
Bullying is one of the most common risk factors for various emotional problems among students, such as depression, aggressive behavior, eating disorders, and even suicide. Among other things, discrimination destroys self-esteem, a sense of belonging, and a sense of personal agency.
7. Isolation
Finally, also due to the widespread use of technology and more recently the Covid pandemic, young people have fewer and fewer opportunities to live with other people their age and form genuine support networks. It has been proven time and time again, with studies in different cultures and population cohorts, that the lack of meaningful social relationships is a critical factor that determines our propensity to suffer from depression.
Mental and/or emotional problems can present themselves in many ways, but the ones we most commonly see at universities are:
- Anxiety disorder
- Depression
- Personality disorders
- Eating disorders
- Addictions
How to promote mental health among young people?
Higher education institutions have a privileged role in helping young people not only to have good mental health during their formative stage, but also to develop the self-care skills they will need to maintain it throughout their lives.
Some of the strategic actions that can be taken are the following:
1. Raise awareness about the mental health
The importance of mental health has been made visible for relatively few years, and there is still a long way to go. It is still common to find young people who do not know that taking care of their mind and emotions is just as important as taking care of their physical health.
We recommend that you involve your students in the planning and development of mental health campaigns that are interesting, comprehensive and interactive.
2. Promote meaningful and healthy relationships
Family, friends, peers and partner, if there is one, are factors that affect mental health positively or negatively, depending on how healthy those relationships are.
Why not invest some effort in teaching our students what they look like and how to build more satisfying and assertive social relationships ? We also need to teach them to identify toxic, codependent, or one-sided relationships that can harm their mental health.
3. Seek comprehensive development
Mental health is closely related to our integral well-being , that is, physical, emotional, social and even economic. Helping our students to be in balance also means giving them tools so that they can successfully take charge of all their spheres of life.
For example, offering meditation or yoga classes, as well as workshops so they can earn a part-time income, is also indirectly promoting their mental health.
4. Prioritize the search for individual and collective meaning
Having a sense of life is important so as not to feel overwhelmed by the complexity and uncertainty of existence, but it is also essential to have a sense of social responsibility that allows us to feel part of a community that is greater than ourselves.
Accompanying your students to discover how they want to put their individual talent at the service of the common good is a great way to help them strengthen both aspects.
5. Set spaces for “slowing down”
Many contemporary experts agree that our fast-paced lifestyle no longer allows us moments of reflection and relaxation, so necessary to recharge energy, see things in perspective and protect mental health.
Setting up meditation or silence rooms where the use of mobile devices is prohibited allows students access to a space where they can take a complete breather when they feel overwhelmed by the academic load or interpersonal problems.
6. Strengthen soft skills
As we already mentioned, soft skills are a key factor in quality of life. There are many ways you can encourage their development, from embracing a collaborative project-based pedagogy to integrating specialized solutions like Pearson’s Personabilities .
7. Include parents
While there is much we can do at the university to provide a positive space for mental and emotional health, we also need to promote students having a safe and harmonious place in their own home. Therefore, offering courses, workshops and human development experiences to parents must be part of our strategy.
8. Promote the responsible use of technology
In addition to warning about the consequences of the indiscriminate use of technology, which can lead to bad academic practices, but also to mental problems, we can give students practical tools so that they understand the magnitude of the problem, for example, an App that measures the amount of time they waste on social networks.
9. Promote an inclusion policy
Students, teachers and administrative staff must work permanently to achieve an environment of tolerance , where differences are celebrated and everyone has the opportunity to express themselves without fear of repression.
10. Provide psychological and psychotherapy services
Finally, it is necessary to have enough mental health professionals to meet the demand for psychotherapy services for the entire student enrollment. Many times students do not know that the institution offers them this service, for which reason it must also be actively promoted.
At Pearson Higher Education we want your students to have all the tools they need to succeed upon graduation, and that includes interpersonal and self-care skills for their mental and emotional health. We invite you to learn about our specialized solutions that range from the most in-demand technical skills to socio-emotional aspects for the development of your talent. Offer them the best education with Pearson Higher Education!