As the winter months approach, many people around the world have noted that they start to feel a sense of gloominess over them. This phenomenon is known as, “seasonal depression”. As someone who deals with it myself, I feel as if school does somewhat affect my seasonal depression for the worst. What do you think?
It’s no surprise that school is not everybody’s favorite place. It feels as if the hours barely go by, and the work continues to get harder and harder, day by day. Also, learning new subjects is harder for some than others. Moreover, athletes may have a harder time juggling their sports, schoolwork, and spending time with friends and family. However, this was how I thought mental health could affect other people. So, to see how Oakmont was feeling, I did a quick survey with randomly selected students to see how their mental health is affected by school.
The results of the survey did confirm my initial thoughts. Over 90% of the students who answered stated that their mental health was affected by school. But why? One student explained, saying that there were, “high expectations”, in school, and they felt as if they couldn’t trust the support systems that are provided by Oakmont. Another student expressed that their physical and mental health was affected by constantly having to stay up late doing homework or studying for their classes. All the issues that these students listed are real-life issues that students all over the United States go through. According to a survey done in 2020 by the American Psychological Association, 43% of teens said that their stress levels had gone up, and 45% of teens stated that they had a harder time focusing on their schoolwork. Furthermore, many felt less motivated during the school year. Reading about all the problems affecting students made me start asking myself what tips and tricks could help me cope with the stresses of the school year.
While there are multiple strategies, here are a few basic tips that you can use to keep yourself in check and make sure that you don’t get too stressed out during the school year. Keeping a journal and writing out the things that are stressing you out can help with not constantly having to think about your issues. Meditation and/or deep breathing exercises can help your body regulate any stress that you may be feeling, which, in turn, will help you calm down as a whole. Finally, having a schedule can help with time management, which will make room for spending time with friends, getting some much-needed rest, or just taking some time to focus on yourself.
Even though it is tough to talk about, mental health is a subject that is getting a lot more discourse in modern-day spaces. Addressing places in which mental health may be affected, and figuring out ways to cope, are the right conversations that need to be had to help people around the world not let their mental health control them. Next time you feel that your mental health is starting to diminish, always know that there are resources everywhere that can help you cope, even if it’s a high school newspaper.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, please know that you are not alone and there are multiple resources out there that are meant to help you!
833-773-2445: Crisis and Mental Health Support
Text HOME to 741741: Crisis Text Line
988: National Suicide and Crisis Hotline
800-662-4357: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline
