These days, if you’re a student, life can feel more emotionally draining than ever, especially as we hear more and more reported cases of mental illness and depression among youths, which could all begin from being emotionally stressed.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health revealed a worsening state of mental health problems among students in the country; from just one in 10 individuals in 2011, to one in five in 2016.
Emotional stress among youths can be triggered by various factors, the most common one being stress over poor academic performance.
It is not something that we should take lightly so here are a few of our thoughts on this subject:
Get help and counselling
As a student in college or university, if you’re experiencing emotional stress there are various support systems available to you, including counselling services, which are offered at most campuses.
Therefore, if you are having difficulty dealing with emotional stress, it’s important to seek assistance from a counsellor as soon as possible.
However, the first and most important step to take is to realise that you need help and not suffer in silence.
Seek emotional support
Some of us are now so used to spending time with our smartphones rather than interacting with family members and friends.
The influence and pressure from social media can also be overwhelming, thus leading to stress and depression.
When going through emotional turmoil, it is best to not be alone as spending time with loved ones and people we trust is the best way to overcome emotional stress.
Change your lifestyle
Research done has suggested that regular exercise is an effective way of lessening the effects of emotional stress.
There is also research that shows the psychological and physical benefits of exercise, which can also help ease anxiety.
Exercise often helps reduce emotional stress by releasing endorphins, natural chemicals in the brain that give you a sense of pleasure and also distract you from anxiety.
This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale Media-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
This article first appeared on The Borneo Post, published in the print version on Saturday, August 18, 2018.
Photo by Kat Jayne from Pexels.
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