How to cope with anxiety and depression at school

Coping with anxiety and depression at school is a genuine problem for our young people, and unfortunately, these mental health conditions have become more common in our modern world. Especially when starting a new grade at school or a new academic year at varsity.

The WHO’s adolescent mental health key stats show the following:

• “Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 13% of the global burden of disease in this age group.
• Depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.
• Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds.
• The consequences of failing to address adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults.”

We are all susceptible to experiencing them regardless of our background, race or gender. Sadly, more young people go through the overwhelming symptoms way before they’ve had a chance to understand how the whole thing works and what causes it. In addition, most of us do not have the skills and tools to deal with anxiety and depression.

Knowledge is power, so knowing what a thing is will lead you to understand its hows and whys. Anxiety is a fear of something that may or may not happen. Fear presents itself in the body in various ways. Depression is a more serious medical illness that causes a low mood and a loss of interest in activities, among other things. However, due to its nature, you need to see a professional.

Read: It’s OK not to be OK.

Both “feelings” are unpleasant, and it has become easy to find distractions to help avoid or numb them. Nowadays, it’s easy to deflect by using social media excessively or binge-watching movies or series. Alternatively, others may turn to substance abuse to help relieve their discomfort. Unfortunately, these temporary mood stabilisers don’t benefit you in the long run. The healthiest way to manage feelings is to do activities that help ground you. Examples include listening to music, walking, praying, journaling and many others. Maintaining good regimens consistently to counter or restore balance may be challenging. However, to stay committed, you can incorporate it into your daily and weekly routines to keep your holistic well-being.

To further empower you, please listen to Given, Charl and their lovely guest, Nolwazi, who are giving you the full monty on what anxiety and depression are and how they affect you. Nolwazi also shares specific tips to deal with anxiety and depression, respectively.

I Am Youth has joined hands with the Child Protection Hotline to make counselling more accessible for young people. They have qualified counsellors who provide free counselling to help young people process some of their negative experiences and maintain healthy mental well-being.

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High School Things