I do think that for some students, mental health issues are what drive them to hurt themselves (in small and large ways), but I don't think it's fair to say that all the kids who have committed suicide were driven to do so because of their mental illness. Academics and all the high expectations that come with it are part of the problem; they may not be the sole stressor in a student's life, but I think it's fair to say that for a lot of students, school is the biggest stressor. Part of this is not the administration's fault- naturally, we spend most of the hours of our day at school dealing with school-related things, so of course it is usually the major stressor. But more than that, it's the actual problems and pressure that students receive from teachers, parents, counselors, all relating to academics- that's the crux of the whole issue.
I totally agree with you that it's not fair to say that all students that commit suicide do it because of their mental illnesses. I also agree with the fact that school is the biggest stressor in a teenager's life and that is what mostly drives them to commit suicide. They can't handle the load of schoolwork that teachers give them alongside many other things. It is definitely hard for us, students, to keep up with school work but we have to remember that committing suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on all points. I especially like how you acknowledged that while a lot of stress comes from school, it is not really the school administration's fault because a lot of the pressure is put on by us. A lot of stress, for me and people I have talked to personally, comes from the fact that you may hear of or see someone who is doing a lot better than you or a lot more than you so you try to compete with them, which causes a lot of stress for students. Especially in this area, competition in academics is a major source of stress and anxiety.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely, and this is so relatable to my current life. This last week has been hectic for me, and because of that I think this presentation was very important. Stress and school are universal in our area, and agree completely with what you're saying.
ReplyDeleteSana you write this so well, I'm in total concurrence. Was wondering what you may think the true problem is and what a possible solution may be. You mention at the bottom that it is just part of life, which I completely agree with. But who do you think could help with this issue? Or do you think it should be a combined effort?
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