Mental health problems aren’t a new among college students. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), estimates that approximately 6.1 million children averaging 2 to 17 years have been diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Other than ADHD, depression, behavior problems, and depression as a few more mental health complications most children are diagnosed with. Surprisingly, there are several instances where children with depression are also diagnosed with other disorders such as behavior problems and anxiety.
Not all of these children receive treatments, though. According to the CDC, nearly 22 percent of these children do not receive treatment.
There are several ways that mental health problems can affect a student’s life. In the short term, these problems may lead to the students alienating from peers.
This is majorly fueled by the affected students’ perception that their peers do not find their behaviors, personality, or traits attractive. Even worse, these mental health problems may trigger fear, anger, feelings of disillusionment, and sadness among the affected students, most commonly, if they cannot comprehend or do not understand what’s happening with them. In today’s guide, we explore the ways mental health problems can affect a student’s energy levels.
Mental Health Problems and Reduced Energy among Students: What’s the Link?
The consequences that come with mental health can manifest themselves in varied forms. Of note is a reduction in energy levels which would be reflected in reduced concentration and performance both academically and in co-curricular activities if the students were actively involved in sports.
Academically, working with expert tutors on platforms like https://www.bestessaytips.com/review_essay.php may offer some help. Here’s an expert look into how mental health problems can affect a student’s energy levels.
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Mental Health Complications affect the Patient’s Neurotransmitters
The neurotransmitters in the brain play pivotal roles in regulating normal body functions such as appetite, pleasure, energy levels, and motivation. Mental health problems such as depression are known to act on the patient’s neurotransmitters.
This best explains why a student struggling with depression would suffer a dip in energy levels. Here’s the twist; it may not be easy to differentiate reduced energy levels caused by depression from those caused by fatigue.
This is also the reason why some cases go undiagnosed for extended periods. To understand whether reduced energy levels among your students or your child are due to fatigue or a mental health problem such as depression, you would need to look into their interest in the activities.
If the tiredness is due to depression, the student will have very little interest in the activities. If you feel depressed by writing the essays, it may help seeking the help of experts offering best essay writing services to help you with the problems. In this case, you would need to look for essay writers for hire.
For teachers, you would also need to look into how the student responds to sleep. One good night of sleep may improve the moods of a ‘naturally’ tired person or tiredness caused by fatigue. If the tiredness is due to depression, even sleep may not be enough to improve student’s moods.
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Mental Health Problems like Depression also leads to Poor Sleep
You probably, already know that poor sleep is also almost a guarantee of reduced energy levels among people of all ages. The CDC recommends at least 8 hours of sleep for students averaging 13 to 18 years.
If you are a parent, teacher, or guardian ensuring that the student gets the recommended hours of sleep, but they still struggle with fatigue, chances are high the fatigue is triggered by a mental health problem such as depression which is depriving the youngster sufficient sleep.
This is because, just like anybody else, the student’s brain and body require enough sleep to restore their good brain-cell functioning, which is needed for them to perform at the levels necessary physically. The thinking and coordination require the student’s brain cells to be able to work well.
Studies show that depression may make it difficult for an individual to fall asleep, stay asleep, or even worse off both. Therefore, the patient may experience less deep sleep, implying that sleep for the youngster would feel less restorative and restful.
Besides, there is a risk of the student engaging in maladaptive behaviors that would impact the quality of sleep they get. A perfect example, in this case, is the depression forcing the student into taking a nap during the day, something which would make it difficult for him/her to fall asleep in the evening. If you are considering working with essay writers for hire if you are frustrated with assignments, you can use targeted search phrases like essay writing service UK to get writers you can count on.
How can a Teacher Help a Student with Mental Health Issues to Restore Energy Levels
Mental health issues should not be ignored. The teachers can take proactive steps in the classrooms to recognize the mental health problems among their students.
Importantly, it would also help if the teachers educate themselves on the symptoms of mental health issues so they can provide the students with safe environments, help them gain access to mental health resources, and promote good health among the students. Here are three simple ways that a teacher can help a student with mental health issues.
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Educating the Students on Mental Health Issues
Mental health education for students will help increase their knowledge of such problems. With more knowledge, there will be reduced stigma, implying that students who struggle with such issues will feel more comfortable when seeking help.
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Implementation of Preventive Techniques with the Learners
The preventive techniques will be aimed at reducing the incidents of mental health, the prevalence, and reoccurrence among students. To achieve this, the teacher would need to identify and modify the risk exposure if possible and then strengthen the student’s coping mechanisms such as resilience. This may involve allowing your students to describe their emotions verbally and describe any troubling events they encounter within the school or outside the school. The teacher would also help the students by taking steps to help them control stress and boost their reduced self-esteem to manage the symptoms.
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Working with School Psychologists or Counselors
If the teacher believes that assessments or testing would be required for the affected student, it would help if they work with the school psychologists in the school to help identify the symptoms and put them under control. If the mental health issues are the aftermath of traumatic events the student had been exposed to, it would also help if the teacher makes arrangements for crisis counseling.
The Bottom Line
Mental health issues may be to blame for your student’s decreased energy levels. Therefore, you should not assume the tiredness to be caused by simply fatigue. Timely intervention may go a long way in improving the student’s quality of life.
Author Bio
Based in the UK, Emily Harrinson is one of the most influential editors of a big company based in London. Emily has been working in the company since 2006.
She loves to read books, and she is also a sports and music enthusiast. She is also an outgoing person.
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