By Ashley Duong
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, up to 70% of adolescents with mental illnesses go untreated. The constant pressure to fight to succeed has a rather disastrous consequence on the mental health of students, yet little is being done to combat it.
A study done at Fremont High School in the spring of 2015 by Stuart Slain, Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of Saint Louis University, found that 54% of students had moderate to severe symptoms of depression and 80% had moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety. Whether it’s because of fear of stigma or lack of access to resources, students aren’t getting the help they need to stay healthy.
With a curriculum focused on AP classes, the pressure on my high school students to take on too many difficult classes was always there. Along with grade inflation and cutthroat competition among students, the general idea was that our grades represented our value as human beings. The colleges where we will ultimately determine our success in the future. It’s a very isolating experience not knowing who your real friends are and who’s using you to get a better grade. This internalized concept of competition and achievement was what kept most students stressed and depressed.
With rising college graduation rates and dwindling job opportunities, students are under more pressure than ever to compete for coveted places at prestigious universities.
It’s no longer impressive to have just graduated or gone to college, especially with an increase of nearly 50% (20 million) of people 25 and older earning a college degree, as the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported. . The BLS has also found that it has become increasingly important to have advanced degrees in order to obtain management positions, instead of only obtaining a bachelor’s degree.
Students are aware that they must do whatever it takes to truly stand out from the herd, especially with the pressure of applying for higher education looming.
The running slogan at my high school was, “Sleep is for the weak.” As you walked through the halls, you heard conversations between students trying to explain how little they had slept the night before.
This sleep deprivation contest was a prime example of the overly competitive mentality forced into students who give up on their own health in response to the expectations and norms of our education system. I can personally attest to the negative effects of this system.
Suicide is currently the second leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 34, as reported by the CDC in 2015. Similarly, a study of high school students by Child Health USA in 2009 shows that 17% considered to commit suicide, with numbers rapidly rising.
I admit that I am part of that 17% and I know that I am not alone in this struggle. The stress and self-esteem issues that I faced as a result of my studies at one point led me to contemplate suicide.
My high school was one of those that lacked the resources to adequately support students with mental health issues. Moreover, the general mentality of my school encouraged suffering with the promise of long-term gain. I started to hate and dread school in a way that I had never done before.
Schools often lack funds to provide the necessary screenings for at-risk students. The Huffington Post reported that of 21,000 screenings conducted at Washington high schools in 2010, the numbers dropped significantly to 7,500 in 2012 due to lack of funding.
As mental health begins to take center stage in the media and news, more attention is being paid to the services provided to students who need them. Awareness programs initiated by the National Alliance on Mental Illness reinforce the need to promote awareness of mental illness and ways to help students combat it as well as recognize the signs of its presence.
Additionally, other resources are now available for students across the country, including ULifeline, an online site to educate students about mental illness and provide advice to help those in crisis. Other organizations that focus on improving student health include American College Health Association (ACHA) which has started a helpline to help students who are at risk of being a danger to themselves.
After coming to the UCI and having time and space away from my high school, I now understand the unhealthy nature of the stress I put on myself.
The resources I have at UCI, coupled with an environment fostered by faculty and fellow students who encourage growth and learning rather than just focusing on grades, have changed the way I see and approach my education. Now, instead of taking classes under peer pressure, I take them based on my interests. I am now focused on being an intrinsically motivated student. Likewise, having access to guidance and academic advisors has helped ease the pressure and the illusion that I have to face my university career alone and without help.
Things may be starting to look up, but students are still under immense stress to be the best. While preventative measures are helpful and effective, perhaps an even more drastic change in our education system as a whole is needed to truly snub the problem at its source.
Ashley Duong is a freshman literary journalism major. She can be contacted at alduong1@uci.edu.
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