Research suggests that around 10-20% of students aged 15-29 are affected by mental problems, and more than half of these end up in death. These are the ages when a teenager is starting or is currently attending a college or university. With that, many learners suffer from mental disorders, and the numbers alarmingly increase yearly.
Many factors can be considered as to why college or university students suffer from psychological or mental problems. If these are left unaddressed and untreated, they can significantly reduce a teenager’s life quality and bring negative consequences.
Understanding Cognitive Issues Dealt By University Learners
With mental health as one of the leading causes of disability globally, it is undoubtedly that teenagers who are continuously growing and developing are affected by it. The adolescent phase constitutes a challenging time, as there are many changes biologically, socially, and psychologically.
Developing a cognitive issues or psychiatric disorders is a combination of multiple factors, as mentioned earlier. Evidence shows that risk factors increase during the transition of a youngster to adulthood and gaining—partial, if not full—freedom, aka college life. Everyone tells you that college life is all fun and games. It is your moment of independence, so they advise you to make the most out of it. But there’s a significant side that is often overlooked and unspoken—the prevailing mental health challenges faced by college students.
To help most college students with the struggles they encounter, it is crucial to understand the roots and causes of their mental instabilities.
Why Many Learners Are Struggling With Cognitive Disorders
College is often the most challenging phase for most teenagers since this period includes significant transitions. Aside from the grueling requirements of the university, most students must learn how to be independent alongside. This transition can be challenging, especially for those who spent most of their lives depending on their parents and guardians. Nobody prepares you for it.
Many people tell you how college is so serious. It is your ultimate preparation and initiation to the “real adult” world. Entering college life usually means leaving the comfort zone for a lot of people. Flying or driving a couple to several thousand miles away from your home, moving entirely to a different city, state, or country, and standing up on your two feet for the first time in your life, your parents nowhere to be found.
For the first time in your life at college, you get to make your own decisions—at least for most people anyway. New perspectives, new changes, and new beginnings, there are endless possibilities. But as exciting these may all sound to you, stress may also follow you.
For people who move out for college or university, homesickness is one of the most common reasons students develop mental illnesses. As aforementioned, another challenge is the overwhelming academic workload, putting pressure on the student more than ever. And speaking of pressure, there is also tension for adolescents to conform to sometimes ridiculous societal standards.
Some people have a tough time adjusting to a new environment. Along the way, financial problems may arise because of expensive tuition fees and activities. These and the ones mentioned above are some contributing elements to mental health issues or psychological instability in teenagers.
Fortunately, more and more people are now openly talking about most psychological disorders. This ongoing cognitive soundness conversation gives college students options, opportunities, and mental health resources ‘to seek professional help and mental health services or treatment.
Early Detection Of Cognitive Disorders In University Learners
According to studies, among mental illnesses, depression and anxiety disorders are the most common diagnosis in youths. These two often come hand-in-hand and even share similar signs and symptoms, such as frequent mood disorder, fatigue, and excessive worrying or fear. If these are present, one must take action and seek help from mental health services like counseling centers.
When a cognitive problem begins to show in a college student, it is more likely for it to interfere with their studies. They may slowly stop attending classes and eventually drop out altogether. Attendance can be extremely difficult. A once social butterfly is nowhere to be seen. Apart from that, this age is also vulnerable to alcohol and substance abuse, which may add to their debilitating mental conditions or mental illness. So before things get worse and these mental health problems occur in students, college universities must focus on healthy minds.
Helping college students overcome their mental disability starts with the very basics: yourself. Many of the young are thrilled to leave home to start fresh with their newly-found freedom. However, we’ve already mentioned how college isn’t all fun and games. You have to manage your physical wellness and yourself well and be responsible enough not to take your independence for granted.
Parents should also be able to recognize what’s best for their children. If you are a parent, you have to question yourself, “Am I ready to let my child go and forge his/her path? Or am I forcing him/her into a direction he/she doesn’t want?” We all know stories of parents creating a path for their children to follow. While that is to the best of your intentions, you also have to give credit to your children’s dreams and goals and let them find themselves fulfilling them.
It will also assist in employing the help of the mental health support system of colleges and universities for college students. Health services, particularly counseling services with a licensed and certified professional or mental health professionals, would certainly be a benefit in the long run.
Final Thoughts And Takeaways To Consider
If you are a college student currently reading this, do not lose hope. Your mental disorder is a minor setback. It gets better. Life always gets better. Do not be afraid to seek treatment if you need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Cognitive Issues And Challenges Do College Students Face?
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Why Do Learners Struggle With Cognitive Disorders In School?
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