Academic life is a whole journey of ups and downs, where you achieve your diploma while fighting multiple battles during the journey. These battles are mostly battles of academic pressure. University students are always stuck between heavy course schedules, tight deadlines, tests, personal relations, and other similar pressures. Some students cope with academic overload by getting data collection services or any form of academic support from professionals.
Even though getting primary data collection services or any such sort of academic support can be a huge relief for many, not all students can get these services. So, extreme academic pressure on many students results in severe mental health issues. Anxiety disorders, depression, burnout, and physical health problems are quite prevalent in university populations globally. The following post explores how academic pressure affects the mental health of students, its reasons, and how a better learning environment can help.
Understanding Academic Pressure
Academic pressure refers to the stress that arises from high standards and heavy workloads among university students. Universities are competitive settings where university students are compelled to perform their best at all times. According to research, about 60% of university students feel anxiety during the last twelve months, mainly due to academic pressure.
The university education system is quite different from high school, as uni students are responsible for their time, research, and coursework with less direction. Such a shift contributes to more stress. Pressure arises due to comparison with classmates, competition for scholarships, or achieving professional career-based goals that are associated with academic achievement.
Psychological Effects of Pressure due to Studying
A prevalent concern among students of all ages is anxiety in the classroom, during lectures and examinations (thedissertationhelp.uk, 2024). The psychological effects of academic pressure on students are quite obvious as they go side-by-side. Some of them are:
Anxiety and Panic Disorder
Academic expectations can cause chronic worry, failure anxiety, and panic attacks. Students overthink outcomes and are unable to relax or focus. In extreme cases, untreated anxiety can also affect your attendance, exams and your whole work schedule, resulting in poor grades, which causes even more stress.
Depression and Hopelessness of Emotions
A survey by the WHO reveals that 15% of students experience depression, which yet again proves that academic pressure and mental health research go hand-in-hand. Many forms of depression are caused by extreme workload or repeated failure. Depression demotivates, isolates socially, and can result in harmful methods of coping.
Burn-out
Burnout is a consequence of continuous academic stress, with a condition of emotional exhaustion. Burnout is characterised by symptoms of fatigue, irritability, and lack of interest in the academic journey. Additionally, it has long-term consequences both academically and psychologically.
In short, there are psychological outcomes associated with excessive academic pressure, such as anxiety, depression, burnout, and suicidal ideation (Tally, 2024).
The Physical Effects of Stress
Stress not only affects you mentally, but also physically. Stress hormones, like cortisol, are produced in increased numbers when under pressure, which weakens the immune system. This results in headaches, stomach issues, sleep disorders and sickness. Chronic stress also has a connection with high blood pressure and cardiovascular disorders, which go beyond university life.
Social Pressure that Enhances Academic Stress
- Parental Pressure: Many students carry the weight of their parents’ expectations, especially if they are the first in their family to go to university. This enhances the feelings of guilt and anxiety if the results are not good enough.
- Student Competition: Universities promote competition. Comparison of grades, internships, or achievements with other students results in insecurity and anxiety.
- Financial Pressure: Increased fees and part-time work pressures are yet another source of stress. Work-study students are more tired and mentally drained.
- Societal and Cultural Stress: Academic failure is sometimes strongly condemned at a cultural and societal level, which forces students towards harmful actions.
Academic Pressure and Coping Process
Unfortunately, many students go for unhealthy ways to cope with academic pressure, like:
- Substance Abuse: Using alcohol or drugs as a sleeping aid or as a relaxation aid.
- Social Isolation: Isolating yourself from meeting friends and family members, which also increases loneliness.
- Perfectionism: Having unrealistic standards and punishing oneself for small failures.
However, you can actually reduce stress by adopting the following healthy coping skills:
- Time Management Skills: Breaking down large tasks into tiny steps helps reduce intimidating feelings.
- Physical Exercise: Exercise decreases stress hormones and elevates mood.
- Finding Support: Talking to counsellors, mentors, or classmates provides emotional relief.
- Mindfulness Techniques: Meditation and deep breathing eliminate anxiety..
How Colleges Should Deal with the Problem?
It is the responsibility of an educational institute to reduce academic pressure. Some effective steps that they can adopt are:
Affordable Mental Health Care
There must be counselling centres that help students feel comfortable and share their workload with the staff. The cost must be kept affordable, and the details must always remain confidential.
Flexible Academic Policies
If there are genuine mental health reasons due to which the student is struggling to meet the academic deadlines, then they should be offered leniency.
Awareness Campaigns
Educational institutes can introduce workshops about healthy study habits and stress to spread awareness.
Training Faculty
Professors should also be trained to identify whether or not a student is struggling with academic distress. Better communication between the student and a professor can reduce stress.
Striking a Balance Between Aspiration and Well-Being
We must keep in mind that educational success should never make you sacrifice your mental health. Universities help students build the future through academics, yet the base of the future lies with psychological strength and wellness. Students should be able to redefine success, not as perfect academic performance but as growth, learning, and balanced living.
Conclusion
Academic pressures at university institutions are more than mere deadlines and exams; it is a complicated problem that is severely impacting the mental, emotional, and physical health of students. Increasing anxiety, depression, and burnout make it extremely necessary to tackle this issue. Academic stress gets easier to tolerate when you adopt healthful modes of coping and support networks. Mental health is not separate from academic success; it is the foundation on which true learning stands. Placing greater priority on mental health ensures that academic experiences are pathways of growth and not struggles of survival.
