OVERCOMING DISCOURAGEMENT AND DEPRESSION IN STUDENT’S ACADEMIC LIFE
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Some students are faced with discouragement, despair and depression, and these constitute common obstacles that affect students in their academic pursuit.  And this can negatively impact their ability to learn and study effectively. When a student has this challenges that goes unnoticed, their mental health will be at risk, which can lead to social behavioural problems, poor learning and study lifestyle, slow self esteem and poor academic performance. When these are not addressed properly, symptoms can worsen, creating a vicious cycle that many students find themselves in.

DEFINITION OF TERM

Discouragement: this is a loss of confidence or enthusiasm dispiritedness. It is also an attempt to prevent something by showing disapproval or creating difficulties. Another word for discouragement is depression, dejection, impediment, obstacle etc.

Despair: this is the feeling that there is no hope and that you can do nothing to improve a difficult or worrying situation. Despair is a very intense feeling of hopelessness; the feeling can be described as a mix of misery, discouragement, anguish and distress.

Researchers said that clinical despair can be conceptualized as a profound and existential hopelessness, helplessness, powerlessness and pessimism about life and the future. Despair is a deep discouragement and loss of faith about one’s ability to finding meaning, fulfilment, and happiness to create a satisfactory future for oneself.

Depression:

Looking at these terms, they are personal social problem. Personal social problem refers to problem affecting individual that the affected individual as well as other members of society, typically blame on the individual’s own personal and moral failing.

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.

Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:

  • Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
  • Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
  • Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
  • Loss of energy or increased fatigue
  • Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing) or slowed movements or speech (these actions must be severe enough to be observable by others)
  • Feeling worthless or guilty
  • Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
  • Thoughts of death or suicide

Study life is synonymous to study habit, study habits are behaviours used when preparing for test or learning academic material. It is also what we do when we have to attain a specific academic goal.

EFFECTS

Individuals with depression may be unable to complete tasks that require high-motor and cognitive skills. They may feel confused, scatter-brained, overwhelmed or easily frustrated. Even basic everyday tasks become difficult.

Depression impairs cognitive functioning. This mental health issue interferes with healthy thought processes and impacts a person’s ability to concentrate and make decisions. It changes the brain, and many people with depression find they frequently experience memory problems and have trouble remembering events or details.

Other symptoms of depression contribute to learning problems. Depression can leave some individuals feeling irritable, agitated, anxious and unable to focus. Others find they are no longer interested in hobbies, activities or learning new things. Mood swings make it hard to pay attention, while feelings of hopelessness or low self-esteem can cause individuals to believe they shouldn’t bother or simply can’t learn new things. Depression also impacts sleep, and insomnia and hypersomnia can further impact mental health and function.

Depression, despair and discouragement affect all areas of an individual’s well-being including sleep, diet, mental and physical health, self-esteem, social interaction and academic performance.

Students who have these disorders are at risk of suffering from poor academic performance and resistance to anything school-related. This can include lack of engagement in the classroom, poor relationships with peers and teachers, and disinterest in pursuing passions and planning for the future. Their learning is also affected due to the fact that anxiety and depression can impact the working memory, which makes it challenging to retain new information and recall previously learned information. Discouragement and depression negatively influence academic progress and encourage under-achievement. Students with a high level of depression score lower on IQ and achievement tests than their peers.

WAY OUT

  • The students should learn to do something new.
  • Cognitive behavioural therapy: this is the process of changing your perception about the way you feel.
  • When you feel discouraged acknowledge it to yourself. People who never feel discouraged are out of touch with themselves and the world.
  • Anger frequently grows into discouragement and depression Let go of anger.
  • Hold your head up. Good posture helps.
  • Exercise.
  • Persistent ambiguity is discouraging and depressing. Establish milestones; seeing progress encourages.
  • Solve a small challenge or complete a project. Checking something off your list lifts a weight from your shoulders.
  • Do your best to focus on things you do best. It feels great to do something well.
  • Feeling alone can be discouraging. Let someone in. Find a friend by being a friend.
  • Reward yourself or someone else.
  • Reinterpret your setbacks as learning experiences and stepping stones.
  • Enjoy fresh ideas from a book or lecture.
  • If you don’t get some rest you’ll end up discouraged.
  • The up side of discouragement is it may motivate you to evaluate yourself.
  • Change a routine.
  • Drain the drama. Respond objectively.