Nerdify reviews team is sure about one thing: studying is, probably, the best experience you could ever have. But you guys, let’s be honest – learning is also the most challenging trial to come through. It is not a secret that diligent studying implies overcoming a number of barriers, including emotional ones. Eventually, you feel exhausted and even sick!
Take a helping hand with this tutorial from Nerdify reviews team, which has been written especially for you — the one who cares about own emotional well-being and seeks to preserve health for years to come!
Top-5 Emotional Challenges Facing Students
There’s a bunch of emotional challenges that students encounter during their studies. But I’ve prepared a list of the most common ones for being forewarned is being forearmed.
Depression
Depression is quite a common condition in learners. A recent study suggests that around 30% of college students report being “so depressed that it was difficult to function” at least once during their studies. Evidently, it’s high time to sound alarmed, since depression is connected to suicide, the second leading cause of death among people aged 15-34 years.
Fighting depression starts with understanding signs and symptoms:
1.You aren’t getting things done at college/work.
2. You retract from doing enjoyable activities.
3. You feel unable to concentrate.
4. You rely on alcohol and sedatives.
5. You feel unhappy, disappointed, and miserable: thoughts like “I’m a failure”, “I’m worthless”, “My family/friends would be better off without me” become common.
If you have one or more of these symptoms, there’s probably a need to learn more about depression and take decisive actions against the condition.
Fortunately, there’s a number of ways to treat depression. The common ones are: medication, therapy (e.g., cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, and grief therapy), lifestyle changes: diet, regular physical exercises, and enough sleep can do wonders with your wellbeing!
Anxiety
Anxiety is another problem facing college students, while its rates are truly alarming. According to recent findings, one in five college students has anxiety, depression, or both.
When in college, we see our life-changing at an astonishing speed! But it’s not the only reason for feeling anxious. Research findings indicate that college students spend too much of their time on social media platforms, and become addicted to their mobile phones, which leads to anxiety.
The study of Adams and Kissler (2013) found that 50% of college students woke up at night to answer a text message. The same study discovered an inverse relationship between the amount of sleep and the level of stress.
You’re likely to have anxiety if you:
1.Feel overly worried about your past, present, or future.
2. Feel apprehensive.
3. Have a feeling of powerlessness or worthlessness.
4. Have difficulty concentrating or remembering things.
You can learn more about the symptoms of anxiety here. In the meantime, keep in mind that treatment of anxiety is not as difficult as it may seem at first glance, and it includes:
1.Easing up on caffeine. Once you’ve made a commitment to ease up on caffeine, check the list of foods, since coffee and soda aren’t the only things containing this “anxious” ingredient;
2. Scheduling “worry sessions”. It may sound crazy, but you should give time to thinking over things that make you mad. Spending 30 minutes a day reflecting on the issues that bother you or make you stressed is more productive than feeling anxious all the time;
3. Breathing deep. Deep breathing signals your brain that you are OK. Try simple breathing exercises to boost your well-being;
4. Changing lifestyle. Eating healthy food, doing physical exercises, having enough rest and sleep are the best gifts for your mind and body!
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are prevalent and persistent among college students. In fact, it is not surprising because young people seek to be attractive, and may resort to radical methods to look nice. One study suggests that eating disorders “are characterized by behaviors aiming to achieve or maintain slim body shape; great importance is given to thinness as a requisite of self-esteem.”
While many students use the notions of thinness and fitness interchangeably, there’s nothing attractive about physical and mental exhaustion!
So, you should consult a physician if you have one or several of these symptoms:
1.Ongoing dieting
2. Eating in secret
3. Self-induced vomiting
4. Eating to the point of discomfort or pain
You can learn more about the symptoms of eating disorders here. Understanding the problem will help you to plan a conversation with the health provider in a way to come up with an effective treatment intervention.
Some interventions that apply to treat eating disorders are as follows: intensive inpatient care, psychotherapy, family-based treatment, evidence-based treatment.
Of course, these are just some of the treatment interventions that help college students to improve their physical health and emotional wellness by overcoming eating disorders.
Addiction
Students become addicted to quite many things, including drugs and alcohol. Addiction can destroy one’s life, so it’s high time to sound alarm if your friend has at least one of these symptoms:
1.Slurred speech or impaired coordination
2. Engagement in suspicious behaviors
3. A sudden need for money or financial crisis
4. Built tolerance for alcohol or other substances
5. A sudden change in friends and activities
6. Deterioration of physical appearance
Did you know that addiction has become a problem on campus? Recent findings suggest that 60% of college students have consumed alcohol in the past month, 21.3% of people ages 18 to 25 consumed illicit drugs, and 3.8% young people used psychotherapeutic drugs for non-medical purposes.
Fortunately, there are many places where a college student can find help when encountering the problem of addiction. First of all, consider consulting the following addiction resources:
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Everyone wants their body look nice and attractive, but an intrusive preoccupation with defects (often imagined) in one’s appearance is a sign of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).
According to recent findings, BDD affects 1.7% to 2.4% of the general population. In young people, BDD is associated with a range of negative consequences, including school dropout.
It is time to consult a healthcare provider if you notice the following signs of BDD:
1.Camouflaging with clothing, makeup, hats, etc.
2. Constant comparison of body parts with others’ appearance
3. Avoiding mirrors or, on the contrary, constant checking in the mirror
4. Excessive grooming or exercising
5. Skin picking
Many students need help to overcome BDD. Fortunately, there is a range of treatment options: cognitive-behavioral therapy, family-based therapy, antidepressant medication.
Also, students with BDD can find help by consulting the following BDD resources:
In this tutorial, Nerdify reviews team tried to present a comprehensive list of mental health disorders, symptoms, and treatment interventions. However, in no way we want this guideline to substitute actual treatment! So, every time you notice one or several warning signs, consulting your physician is the best decision you can take!
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