The start of the school year means change for every student. It brings with it new courses, new peers, and, for students starting post-secondary school, new surroundings. New circumstances are stressful for anyone, but can hit youth particularly hard because they are at increased risk of mental health problems or mental illnesses. For 70% of people living with mental illnesses, onset occurs between the ages of 14 and 24.
The academic and social expectations at school can also cause significant stress. Students might be anxious about their ability to excel, about settling into a new place, and about whether or not they will fit in and make friends.
Worry that becomes excessive, uncontrollable, and persistent for long periods of time can have a considerable impact on a student’s mental health, academic success, and social life. Plus, stress can come with physical challenges, producing responses such as restlessness, feeling “on guard,” being easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating and disrupted sleep.
School should be academically challenging, but not at the expense of mental health.
Fardous Hosseiny, Canadian Mental Health Association
Students who experience extreme school-related stress may think that it is just a normal part of being a student. This might stop them from getting help if they need it.
“School should be academically challenging, but not at the expense of mental health,” says Fardous Hosseiny, interim CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), which offers a variety of programs and services that support mentally healthy campuses across Canada.
It’s important for students experiencing school-related stress to have supportive relationships, emotional and academic support, access to resources for coping, and the opportunity to develop resilience.
Colleges and universities can play their part from the very start of the school year. They can design orientation activities that help students feel included, offer mental health literacy workshops on coping skills and how to reduce stress, as well as on academic preparedness and realistic goal setting for the upcoming year.
Stress can produce anxiety, and when it comes to anxiety, as with other mental health problems, it is critical to intervene early. The longer anxiety remains untreated, the more difficult it is to treat. If left untreated, anxiety symptoms can get worse, interfere with daily life, and can also lead to other physical and mental health issues.
“Students may need help in managing their stress at school, and their schools need to support them to find help on-campus or in the community,” says Hosseiny.
Students experiencing anxiety should talk to someone at their school’s health and wellness centre or to a mental health care professional.
