By Faten Omar
KUWAIT: A student's performance might be hampered by mental health issues that impair the degree of their energy level, focus, mental ability and performance. Research suggests that depression is associated with lower grade point averages and that co-occurring depression and anxiety can increase this association.
Speaking to Kuwait Times, Mosaab Dhari, medical student and founder of Medtalks platform for mental health awareness, said medicine, as an academic field, is perceived publicly as a taxing and long journey into a lifestyle dedicated to helping others. While there is some truth to this, there are issues that medical students face throughout their studies that still aren't fully addressed.
"What causes mental stress in students is academic workload and lack of engagement in social activities. Especially during exam time, the risk factors of stress and anxiety can be high. The lack of balance between academic and social life causes anxiety and depression among students," Dhari said. He pointed out major psychological problems that students face in school are eating disorders, mood disorders, depression and anxiety, in addition to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
"Since I am a medical student, I see that several medical students report mental distress with some having suicidal thoughts or even suicide attempts. Another major issue is the neglect and lack of proper psychological and social support from colleges and universities, which would have otherwise benefited students who need immediate help or those with financial hardships, that make it harder to seek help elsewhere," Dhari indicated.
He revealed that students in the medical field report higher levels of psychological distress than their same-age peers despite having similar or healthier profiles than peers at the outset of medical school. Dhari said low-cost therapy must be considered. "The most important things affecting a person's mental health here in Kuwait are high prices of psychological therapy. Students are also afraid to visit mental health centers so as not to negatively affect their career or education," he said.
"Social bonds and close communities that we have in the Arab world can have a lot of advantages; however, in terms of mental health, some may fear lack of confidentiality and privacy, which may lead to a fear of judgment from family and friends. Even though some important factors that psychological service providers abide by confidentiality and professionalism, not all patients know that, for which more public health awareness is needed to tackle such matters," Dhari stated.
According to mental health research conducted by the 'National Alliance', one in four students have a diagnosable mental illness. A lot of pressure from parents, stress from exams and the pressure of getting good grades in university destroy the inner peace of students. According to research, students that are diagnosed with either anxiety or depression among those aged 9-23 increased from 5.4 percent in 2003 to 8 percent in 2007, 8.4 percent in 2011-2012 and 11.6 percent in 2013-2020. The scale relates to the four types of mental disorders among students, such as tiredness or headaches, mood swings or insomnia.