Mental Health: Redefining the Norms
Mental health issues are becoming increasingly prevalent in society for both adults and children. Recent data from the Healthy People 2020 initiative reported that mental health and suicide rates are worsening in America each year, yet despite this concrete data, there is an expectation that people should keep quiet about their mental health conditions. Where does this stigma against mental health originate from? After interviewing university students, some answers can be found on college campuses.
The nature of universities is a highly competitive one among all scholarly fields but most especially within STEM departments. This nature is heightened to a greater extent at large public schools such as the University of California, Los Angeles where academic success is confined to being judged and labeled solely on one’s academic numbers. This idea inevitably promotes a culture of perfection, which is a key factor contributing to mental health disorders. Carly Stewart, a dual degree graduate student in the departments of Public Health and Social Work, believes that grad-school magnifies these effects. Master’s degree and PhD pursuers are expected not only to maintain straight-As but also to publish frequently, obtain prestigious internships, attend conferences, and maintain a social sphere. She says, “When students talk about [their mental health problems], they get turned down because they’re no longer this epitome of perfection.” This is the culprit of the issue. While there are psychological counseling services offered on campus, the degree to which they are promoted is minimal. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, the decades that many college professors grew up in, mental health issues were not socially accepted. While this is one factor that might explain the minimal promotion of counseling services at universities, it is important to understand that this is a campus-wide issue. The entire college administrative team should work together with professors towards eliminating the mental-health taboo and directly advocating for the use of psychological counseling when needed. Unfortunately, the stigmas that were prevalent decades ago can still be seen today.
The nature of universities is a highly competitive one among all scholarly fields but most especially within STEM departments. This nature is heightened to a greater extent at large public schools such as the University of California, Los Angeles where academic success is confined to being judged and labeled solely on one’s academic numbers. This idea inevitably promotes a culture of perfection, which is a key factor contributing to mental health disorders. Carly Stewart, a dual degree graduate student in the departments of Public Health and Social Work, believes that grad-school magnifies these effects. Master’s degree and PhD pursuers are expected not only to maintain straight-As but also to publish frequently, obtain prestigious internships, attend conferences, and maintain a social sphere. She says, “When students talk about [their mental health problems], they get turned down because they’re no longer this epitome of perfection.” This is the culprit of the issue. While there are psychological counseling services offered on campus, the degree to which they are promoted is minimal. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, the decades that many college professors grew up in, mental health issues were not socially accepted. While this is one factor that might explain the minimal promotion of counseling services at universities, it is important to understand that this is a campus-wide issue. The entire college administrative team should work together with professors towards eliminating the mental-health taboo and directly advocating for the use of psychological counseling when needed. Unfortunately, the stigmas that were prevalent decades ago can still be seen today.
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Stewart suggests that one simple but effective way for professors to connect with students more about mental health is to make it clear on their course syllabus that talking about it is valued in the classroom. This might help students feel more comfortable to open up about their concerns and to seek assistance right at the onset of their problems. However, this brings up another question: how can students identify whether their mental state is unhealthy if their outward vulnerability about it is suppressed by a perfection-centric college culture?
The key to this problem is awareness and normalization. Just like how general education courses from both the liberal arts and sciences are fundamental elements of a well-rounded education, classes about mental health should be enforced as requirements for graduation too. This type of knowledge is not only beneficial for the young adult population but also critical for adolescents to comprehend as well. Therefore, it should also be incorporated into the curriculum for middle and high schools. The years of childhood and adolescence are a critical time period to teach kids how to be resilient in the face of adversity, thereby minimizing mental health problems later on in adulthood. At a young age, it is important to introduce concepts like depression, anxiety disorders, and panic disorders and their signs of onset. This transparency will facilitate normalization of mental health. Think about this: kids rarely ever think twice about telling their parents that they’re feeling sick. In fact, society promotes openness regarding physical health and prevention. Why should it be any different with mental health? Children should be encouraged to speak up about their emotions and mental state. They are the future. They are our next generation. The positive impact we have on them now is one step to alleviating the mental health crisis. The goal is not to eradicate the pursuit of perfection but to make it loud and clear that it is entirely normal not to always feel perfect along the way.
The key to this problem is awareness and normalization. Just like how general education courses from both the liberal arts and sciences are fundamental elements of a well-rounded education, classes about mental health should be enforced as requirements for graduation too. This type of knowledge is not only beneficial for the young adult population but also critical for adolescents to comprehend as well. Therefore, it should also be incorporated into the curriculum for middle and high schools. The years of childhood and adolescence are a critical time period to teach kids how to be resilient in the face of adversity, thereby minimizing mental health problems later on in adulthood. At a young age, it is important to introduce concepts like depression, anxiety disorders, and panic disorders and their signs of onset. This transparency will facilitate normalization of mental health. Think about this: kids rarely ever think twice about telling their parents that they’re feeling sick. In fact, society promotes openness regarding physical health and prevention. Why should it be any different with mental health? Children should be encouraged to speak up about their emotions and mental state. They are the future. They are our next generation. The positive impact we have on them now is one step to alleviating the mental health crisis. The goal is not to eradicate the pursuit of perfection but to make it loud and clear that it is entirely normal not to always feel perfect along the way.
Featured Image Source: Wokandapix
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