Does school affect our mental health negatively?

It’s no secret that school plays a major role in our mental health. The homework, the projects, the tests, it all injects stress and anxiety into our lives as students. However, does school really affect our mental health in a negative way? The stress that school places on our shoulders has serious effects on our health. In fact, considering that mental health is such a taboo topic, many people choose to not acknowledge that it is actually a massive issue that needs to be addressed. While many people experience things differently, the amount of work that school gives to students can stress anyone. 

Everything’s connected: the hours spent for homework every night, the early mornings, and many students not getting the 9 hours of sleep recommended. Sleep deprivation is directly linked with increased stress and anxiety levels. According to a study done by UCLA, due to a teenager’s busy schedule, social life, and numerous other factors, we choose to ignore the need for sleep and instead stay up late to finish homework or study for tests that greatly affect our academic performance.

Due to the amount of work that’s assigned, students usually have the tendency to use caffeinated drinks such as energy drinks and coffee. Schools want their pupils to be engaged in activities; they are often expected to join sports, clubs, get jobs, and have responsibilities at home, which only adds onto the mountain of tasks that cause the stress we deal with daily. 

Adding on the stress and anxiety that school pushes on us, a chain reaction is triggered, and for some students that may lead to other issues that can affect them medically and emotionally. Certain people may develop narcolepsy and mood swings in which depression may be a result.

How is school a cause of these issues? Students are expected to complete an immense amount of tasks in a short time -homework, clubs, sports, and studying. Seeing the magnitude of the things expected from high schoolers, many students will find ways to do all these things proficiently within a set timeframe.  These kinds of responsibilities are used as a gateway to all forms of personal problems, and that way avoids unnecessary punishment and disappointment from parents. Thus, allowing mental issues to arise due to an unbalanced life that is only concerned with the efficiency of the individual, instead of verifying the status of their emotional and mental sanity. It’s an issue that needs to be addressed before it becomes “normal,” being that no action is going to be taken to help the students undergoing this kind of stress if the case is overlooked.  

Alternative ways to cope with the stress and anxiety that comes along with school is to have a fixed time schedule for activities, setting specific times for homework, and allowing yourself to go to bed at a reasonable time. Your well-being and mental health are more important than any test, homework assignment, or project.