Health is wealth. Mental Stability and How to manage stress as a university student. This means that being healthy is incomparable to anything money can buy. Now, it is one thing to have a body that is fit, but it is another thing to have a mind that is healthy. So the real question is, are you truly healthy without an accompanying sound mind? This is to say that the mental health of a person is just as important as not being down with malaria or even cancer.
Nigeria is hard but Nigerian higher institutions (colleges of education, Mono and polytechnics and universities) will push you to a breaking point physically, spiritually, and mentally. The importance of having a stable mind can therefore not be overemphasized. Being fit enough to withstand and especially manage everyday life’s challenges, school works, extracurricular activities, doing part-time work and also schooling, attending campus fellowships, and going to the mosque. Mental health goes beyond the absence of mental illness or disorder; being mentally well involves being in a positive state of mind. Therefore, it is insufficient to assess mental stability solely based on the absence of malaria, and other illnesses.
Sign Of Mental Instability.
Mental instability presents itself differently in people from time to time, as our faces differ so are we right? Your response to stress and trauma cannot be exactly the same as others, no matter the many similarities you share. You may be mentally unstable if you exhibit a few or all of the following;
- Insomnia– You find it hard to sleep at night time, even when you are extremely stressed out and not having enough time to rest. These can reduce your performance level academically and otherwise, This can greatly cause mental disability in students.
- Anxiety– You see yourself experience undue worry over even the simplest things
and it somehow manages to get out of control. A practical example is during exams period, test periods, and quiz periods in academic work. Anxiety can reach such an extreme level that it distorts your perception of yourself, causing you to perceive yourself as a failure even before the exams have begun. The overwhelming anxiety can lead to a negative self-image and an irrational belief that your performance will be poor, regardless of the actual circumstances of your true capabilities. - Withdrawal From Social Interactions– You shy away from people, you suddenly do not want friends over anymore, and you stay in solitude. You see yourself declining your friends’ association and meaningful outings.
- Emotional Outbursts- You react disproportionately to occurrences, usually on the extreme side. Your coursemate and friends around find it difficult to relate with you because of your emotional outbursts.
- Depression– You experience extended periods of sadness, reclusion, and low morale. You become reluctant to do group work, you lack the energy for even personal self-care.
- Loss Of Appetite Or interest In Food– You are not physically sick but you find that
you just cannot seem to eat. - Delusion, Paranoia.
- Suicidal Thoughts.
HOW TO MANAGE STRESS AS A UNIVERSITY STUDENT.
One of the most popular, or at least proven causes of mental instability is stress. Physical
activities that wear you out have the ability to cause mental destabilization on you. The key to maintaining level-headedness, especially in the university is moderation.
There are students who go excessively with activities, the ones who go overboard with night class, etc Your body is bound to break at some point, and terms to triggered when you overwork yourself(your body nor be firewood). If you get to this point without proper management, it takes a toll on your mental health. Thus, the mental stability conversation is not complete without addressing stress management. Hence the ‘How’ question!
Taking A Break Help To Manage Stress.
You manage stress by taking a break; that much-deserved break from studying and writing (school work generally). After weeks of exams, for instance, the schools give a couple of weeks for holidays. You are meant to unwind and let off steam during this period. During school sessions try as much as possible to take a break, even during your study hours. Have a proper time plan for yourself.
Self Care.
Grooming, yoga, exercising, balanced feeding, massage therapy, and meditation can greatly help relieve stress, so make out time for these things. Self-care can not be over emphases, occasionally have time for yourself, watch football with friends, see movies with your friends during relaxation hours.
Therapy Sessions.
Undergoing therapy helps both with stress management and the treatment of mental health situations, by helping you identify stressors(environmental conditions or influence that stresses) and avoiding their triggers.
Embracing Growth.
Keep an open mind, accept the things that you cannot change, and work towards the betterment of the aspects of your life that can be improved. This is not only applicable to school life but overall.
Keep In Touch With Friends And Family.
Maintain a healthy communication pattern with friends and family, and maintain a close-knit circle.
Use Social Media Wisely.
There are people who get their anxiety triggered when they expose themselves to too much social media time. Therefore, it should be used with caution and moderation.
Open Your Mouth.
They say closed mouths do not get fed, you need to actually talk to your seniors, close lecturers, course advisers, guidance counselors etc, about your issues especially when it concerns academics. They are there to guide you, so speak up, and ask for help if need be!
THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL STABILITY.
The importance of mental stability is to the extent that you will be unable to fully maximize your time in life’s stage – unable to participate in the making of your own story if you are mentally unstable. Take a cursory gaze into the university system and take a wild guess at what becomes of you when you lose your mind. School continues! Yes, it does. Everyone has at one point or the other heard stories about people who run mad at night class, or people who just suddenly start talking to themselves and before the eyes of everyone lose mental coordination.
Almost every university has that student who lost their minds, and your guess is right – school continued! Exams were not put on hold for anyone. Whether these stories are facts or farce is inconsequential, as they are almost always told to lay emphasis on how your mind can fall apart if you do not take your mental health into your own hands.
A stable mind is crucial in successfully managing the demands of schoolwork, as it requires significant effort, dedication, and concentration. Just like a thread that holds fabric together to create a beautiful dress, a solid and sound mind is essential to bring your ideas and efforts to life. It serves as the foundation that gives meaning and coherence to your academic, work, spiritual, and social aspects of life, ensuring a balanced and fulfilling student experience.
In conclusion, a stable mind serves as a solid foundation for a mansion. A student cannot thrive academically without mentally fitting in to sustain themselves. By all means, preserve this highly sacred aspect of your existence, utilizing all available resources and the financial strength of your family.
SEE ALSO: 10 Best Ways to Avoid Distraction as a Fresher in Nigeria Universities.
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