How Important Is Mental Health for Students

How Important Is Mental Health for University Students

By: Kamila Isma Fadillah

Chemistry Education Student

Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training

UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta

Lately there have been many cases of suicide among teenagers, especially university students. Not a few of them share the same background, namely suffering from mental disorders. Some time ago, just before World Mental Health Day on 10 October, a student in Yogyakarta died by suicide. This adds to the record showing that many teenagers in Indonesia experience mental disorders. According to research, various psychological conditions and mental disorders in humans commonly occur, or begin to show symptoms, during the critical age of adolescence or young adulthood.

Mental health, according to the health expert Merriam Webster, is a good emotional and psychological state in which individuals can use their cognitive and emotional capabilities, function in their community, and meet the demands of their everyday lives. It can be concluded that mental health is the condition in which a person functions effectively in social life, is happy with their life, and is able to adapt to the challenges they face.

Sandersan Onie, or Sandy, Project Leader and Founder of Emotional Health for All (EHFA), stated that there are a number of factors behind the high number of teenagers diagnosed with mental health disorders. Besides biological and genetic factors, the environment has a considerable influence.  According to him, today's teenagers grow up in an environment different from that of previous generations, for example high competition, economic developments, and fluctuating health.

From the available data and news, we can see that mental health problems or mental disorders among teenagers are a phenomenon we cannot avoid. There have already been many victims as a result of these mental disorders. Most of them find it difficult to tell about the troubles they have been carrying. Moreover, not a few of them are subjected to intimidation from the people around them and even from their families. In this case, the people closest to them, especially family, must take part in preventing such disorders from occurring. People with mental disorders are those who actually only want their stories to be listened to, not responded to. They only need to be listened to, accompanied, and given support to continue their days.

Sometimes they cannot tell their stories, not because they do not want to. Rather, they feel, when they tell what makes them sad, that some people only want to know about it and do not want to help or listen to their stories. Yet it is precisely at such moments that a person is highly vulnerable to doing things that harm themselves, for example cutting their wrists with sharp objects, even to the point of attempting suicide. But everything surely has a solution, including this mental health problem.

Not all mental disorders can be prevented. However, there are several steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of a mental disorder episode, namely drawing closer to God Almighty. Then, support from the people around us, being open with people we can trust, doing more positive activities, and getting checked by a doctor or psychologist for an initial mental health screening. And the most important thing here is to never judge yourself for whatever has happened.

https://m.harianmomentum.com/read/45097/harian-momentum-edisi-19-desember-2022