Why Is Mental Health Important for Students?

Some people are amazed to discover how common mental health issues are for college students. In fact, about two out of every five college students will experience a significant mental health problem. Even more college students experience milder mental health issues that can have a significant impact on their education.

Considering how common student mental health issues are, every student should think about the possibility that they will face a mental health challenge at some point. That goes double because there are so many reasons that student mental health is of vital importance.

Even before studying mental health, some of the benefits of cultivating good mental health may be obvious. At the same time, learning more about the importance of student mental health can draw your attention to benefits you have not considered before. So why is student mental health so important?

Read on to learn all about the biggest reasons that the mental health of students is a crucial consideration!

Students Encounter Incredible Stress

Students often end up under huge amounts of pressure. People will often emphasize to them how their performance in school will affect their quality of life for decades to come.

At the same time, students are going through the complicated process of maturing into adults.

Of course, stress tends to go up and down over the course of a lifetime. However, when stress levels are high, students may struggle to know how to handle them.

This may not be so bad if students have cultivated excellent mental health in advance. It might only cause them to go through a difficult stage for a while.

However, things are different for a student already struggling with their mental health. For them. a sudden increase in their stress can have enormous consequences. In fact, this is exactly the kind of situation that leads some students to give up on their education.

In some cases, that means that students drop out of school entirely. In other cases, students stop trying to learn from their courses.

In the latter case, students may recover and still manage to graduate. However, giving up on their education even for a few weeks or months, can keep them from learning vital information. There is not much point in taking a class if you are not learning anything from it.

Cultivating robust mental health will help students weather the storm when they encounter significant stress. That will give them the wherewithal necessary to continue to learn from their courses even when times are hard.

Mental Health Issues Affect Physical Health

Doctors and scientists are still discovering new ways that mental health and physical health are connected. When students encounter mental health issues, there is a much higher chance that they will start to develop physical health problems at the same time.

For student athletes, this can cause them to lose valuable opportunities. For example, they might find it difficult to maintain their exercise regimen. If mental health issues keep an athlete from being in top physical condition, they may have a much harder time finding scholarships.

However, mental and physical health problems affect all students, not just athletes. What starts as a mental health problem can cause students to neglect their physical health. However, once students neglect their physical health, it can turn around and affect their mental health.

This creates a cycle that can get worse and worse without attention. This is one more way that student mental health issues can interfere with their ability to learn from their classes. In extreme cases, the physical health problems that come from mental health issues can even cause students to drop out.

Student Mental Health Increases Productivity

Of course, there is a bright side to student mental health issues. Developing great mental health can help students achieve their fullest potential.

Students who enjoy excellent mental health are far more productive. Among other things, that means that they find it much easier to retain new information.

They will also enjoy more energy and motivation. That makes it likely they will go above and beyond the requirements of their course material.

Student Well-Being Improves Problem-Solving

Student mental health does not only provide more energy. It also helps students make better use of the energy that they have. For one thing, mental health helps people enjoy better problem-solving skills.

Sometimes, it is hard to understand why someone makes the same mistake over and over again. However, when a student is suffering from mental health issues, it can be difficult for them to gain perspective on their situation. That increases the chance that they will continue to deal with problems that they would be able to solve easily with excellent mental health.

This kind of problem-solving ability can also help students aim at higher goals and take action to achieve them.

Students with excellent mental health are more likely to think about how they can make the most of their educational opportunities. They are more likely to look at extracurricular activities. In short, students with great mental health will find it much easier to solve their current problems and tackle new ones!

Student Depression Can Affect Academic Success

All by itself, student mental health can have a direct effect on academic success. Some students are able to keep focusing on their education even as they struggle with mental health problems. However, even their best efforts may not produce success if they are dealing with a mental health challenge.

This applies even if a student manages to keep a healthy schedule and spends plenty of time studying. Mental health problems like depression can make it more difficult for memory to function the way it should. Students with mental health problems will not get as much out of studying for an hour as a student with great mental health.

Mental Wellness Affects Student Relationships

Of course, many people consider school to be the ideal venue for social development as well as academic achievement. The bad news is that mental health can affect student relationships as well as their grades.

For one thing, students with mental wellness issues will be less likely to try to meet new people. People with mental health problems often feel like they already have as much on their plate as they can manage. That perception will discourage them from trying out new things.

On top of that, mental health problems can affect the relationships that students already have. Students may be less sociable with their professors, classmates, and even their friends when they have mental health problems.

In some cases, that can mean losing friendships. It can also mean losing letters of recommendation. If mental health problems last long enough, students might graduate from school with far fewer social relationships than is ideal.

Student Health Can Contribute to Long-Term Success

All of this would be bad enough if it only had a negative effect on people's school years. However, student mental health problems can have effects over a lifetime.

As we have discussed, students may not achieve their fullest potential if they are struggling with mental health problems. That can leave them with a negative perception of their years at school. It can also lead people to conclude that they will never get over their mental health struggles.

As student mental health challenges persist after their time at school, they can keep people from achieving meaningful goals in their careers as well.

On the other hand, focusing on students' mental health can help them overcome their struggles. That can give them greater confidence in the years and decades that follow.

Students Are at a Higher Risk for Suicide

One of the great things about being young is that most students have fewer physical health problems. However, one of the top causes of death among students is suicide. At this time in life, mental health challenges are often a greater threat to life than physical ones.

Mental Health Affects Sleep Quality

Mental health problems can lead to difficulty getting a good night's sleep as well. That can also make it harder to concentrate during the day.

Poor sleep can also cause memory problems. That is one more way that mental health can lead to difficulty learning from class material.

Understand the Importance of Student Mental Health

In many ways, we are only beginning to understand the importance of student mental health. Scientists will likely discover more ways that student mental health matters in the future. Focusing on mental health is one of the most powerful ways to help students get the most out of their education in the long run.

To learn more about how students can invest in getting the most out of their education, join Honor Society today!