Essay on How Personal Problems Affect Academic Life
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Much like everything else in life, academic progress is undermined by the consistency and degree of some of the personal problems with which people live. It is imperative that for quality and productive academic work, mental health is maintained and advanced from a personal initiative. In most cases, the value of ones academic life is tied to the ease with which they overcome the challenges of their personal lives or degenerated by these challenges. When one is caught up in the semantics and ambiguity of their immediate or subtly advancing challenges, they often fall into deep states of depression (Saringo-Rodriguez, 2013).
It is easy to assume that clinical depression is a show of weakness. However, research indicates that persons with depression present with psychological and chemical imbalance. Scientific research indicates that depression is more than just extreme sadness, but a mental disorder with serious psychological and cognitive impacts. For instance, persons that are said to have experienced depression often present with significant mental distress among other symptoms. It is not an extreme form of sadness but rather a significant and valid psychological state. Depression is not susceptible to persons of certain personalities but can occur in the lives of any one person (Saringo-Rodriguez, 2013).
The current world is filled with a significant amount of problem and challenges from which individuals are required to learn and advance themselves. College students, specifically often come into the world that is filled with a myriad of challenges including environmental and social problems. Some of the issues college students have to cope with include, management of diverse personalities at school, understanding the changes and coping with changes in weather and even understanding a different and deeper level of independence. While all these experiences are valid and often seem inescapable, the immediate environment in which one experiences these changes and challenges dictates the value of ones academic life. Other than the focus on their academic life, they fall in cycles of managing small issues that may come up in their environment (Guimba, Alico, & Taib, 2015).
Additionally, academics may sometimes present difficulty for different students. The courses that people take are not necessarily ones that appreciate their talent but rather ones that are marketable and present students with the most potential for landing a comfortable job. In such a society, it matters not what a person does but rather how well their do what they are told. For this reason, a lot of the students in college end up pursuing degrees in which they hold no specific interest. The constant attempt of making significant strides in such fields, therefore, seems very tasking and unnecessary (Saringo-Rodriguez, 2013). Students, therefore, turn to drugs and substance abuse in a bid to manage the anxiety and stresses of performing poorly in their class and ultimately failing to get a good job.
Modern science has reduced depression to psychotic imbalance and prescribed medicine that is meant to reduce the anxiety of persons (Saringo-Rodriguez, 2013). It is, however, a result of several different influences. More than psychological, and biological, depression has significant social influence (Saringo-Rodriguez, 2013). For one, the value of one relationship to their general outlook on life inspires anxiety and mental distress. Loss of a loved one, for instance, may trigger a series of events that alienates an individual. As they fixate on the loss and the impact that it has had on their lives, they may change the way they approach social relationships and even how they interact with the persons around them. It is in this way that the cognition of an individual is altered due to some of the social challenges that a person realizes (Saringo-Rodriguez, 2013).
Looking at the neurological influences that may trigger an extended form of depression. The person often present complex neurobiological imbalances (Saringo-Rodriguez, 2013). The capacity to understand some of the emotions that a person feels is significantly altered. More than that, the insistence on prescription drugs alone often makes for a detrimental manifestation of the events that affect the lives of the different individual, Whether one is old or young, male or female, all three facets of human experience, social, biological and psychological must be treated.
Psychologically, students may have difficulty connecting with their family or other persons invested in their lives. Some of the issues that student deal with increase the external and internal demand and further intensify the stresses that they may be going through. It is important to note that while difficulty in personal relationships is a constant in all levels of life (Guimba, Alico, & Taib, 2015).
However, in persons with clinical depression, the challenges inspire stress, fear of failure and anxiety. These factors often deter any productive work. Psychological issues often spill over and affect the reactions of persons experiencing the negative side of intimate relationships. It is in these states that people make some of the most irrational decisions. In some instance, the emotional distress overwhelms individuals to the point of contemplating suicide (Guimba, Alico, & Taib, 2015).
Coming back to academic life, there are specific mental and social states that preempt valuable learning and afford students the capacity to take information from their peers and tutors. Students that have clinical depression often have no or very limited knowledge of their disorder. Acceptance of such a diagnoses is very difficult to accept and often taken with a lot of skepticism. A student may not readily accept their condition and follow through with recommended physician treatment. In such situations, clinical depression transcends the social, biological and psychological detriment to an individual and extends to their everyday life (Saringo-Rodriguez, 2013).
Education is expensive, more than any other social amenity; education represents a necessity that is difficult, expensive and inescapable. For this reason, financial stability often ensures that the academic lives of individuals are both productive and of quality (Guimba, Alico, & Taib, 2015). In the United States, higher education can cost up to an average of two hundred thousand dollars.
While there are institutions that offer financial aid and scholarships, they often demand some incentive in the form of grades or extra-curricular activity from the students. Financial pressure, therefore, is a critical influence in the temperament of students and may even force students to get multiple menial jobs as a means of paying for their college (Guimba, Alico, & Taib, 2015).
One of the most prevalent issues with academic progress is that no amount of intelligence or academic excellence prevents certain issues from influencing the lives of students. The college experience is not meant to offer students with the right environment for learning but rather induct them into society and the world as it is. Still, a lot of the personal problems that people face in their college life often presents detrimental impact on the academics of students. The difficulty of some of the issues that students face often influence their reaction. As one tries to mitigate some of the challenges which they have to cope, the find that is concentrating on academics becomes a luxury.
In an effort to create a stable learning environment, the universities often encourage parental participation in the academic lives of students. Parental participation in this context goes beyond financial support but also a keen eye and ear for changes in ones child (Guimba, Alico, & Taib, 2015). Mitigation of financial constraints and alleviation of some of the distractions that elevate stress and anxiety also makes for valuable effort from the University (Guimba, Alico, & Taib, 2015). It encourages students to focus on their academics and worry less about how they will pay for their college. Additionally, the consistent enforcement of rules deters the manifestation of depression in students. Students that are also involved in sporting activities and are socially aware stand a better chance of coping with the challenges of the modern world (Guimba, Alico, & Taib, 2015).
From a larger perspective of the issues that affect student life, the university administration is required to make significant steps that will improve the lives of students. Being sensitive to student affairs, for instance, allows students and other stakeholders to engage in productive and non-academic discussions (Guimba, Alico, & Taib, 2015). It is in such interventions that students are able to voice out their concerns, giving invaluable insight on how better the administration can serve them (Guimba, Alico, & Taib, 2015).
Implementing effective coping mechanisms is another important responsibility for all stakeholders. Physical, psychological and emotional distress often comes as a result of poor coping and limited concern for issues like proper housing and financial aid (Guimba, Alico, & Taib, 2015). If all members make a collaborative effort in overcoming the challenges of life, students stand a chance at making good use of the resources that are at their disposal (Guimba, Alico, & Taib, 2015).
References
Guimba, W., Alico, J., & Taib, A. (2015). Problems Experienced by College Student Scholars. International Journal Of Innovation And Research In Educational Sciences, 2(3).
Saringo-Rodriguez, J. (2013). Studies show depression affects academic progress, causes stress and chemical imbalance. The Sundial. Retrieved 6 March 2017, from http://sundial.csun.edu/2013/11/studies-show-depression-affects-academic-progress-causes-stress-and-chemical-imbalance/
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