Mental Health Articles -

If you research and trawl through the net for relevant mental health articles, your search will take you to articles about emotional and social health, work-related problems and mental health problems that affect adults, teenagers and kids. We’ve addressed certain current mental health articles that deal with problems affecting people. So read on to find out more about the summaries of the mental health stories.

Mental health problems in college students: Mental illnesses among college kids have become more serious over the years according to new studies by mental health professionals. Some believe that this is happening because students are not well-connected socially.

Also, many are arriving at college with existing mental health problems like anxiety and depression. Also leaving home and attending college assail students with new experiences and challenges. This can cause extreme anxiety and stress. Leaving home for the first time also offers a lot of freedom to college kids. And with great freedom comes great responsibility, which many of them falter on. Handling so much of freedom all of a sudden can be overwhelming and this triggers certain problems in college students.

Coping with being on their own, battling the challenges that life throws their way and being away from home can bring in a feeling of isolation. Addiction to drugs and alcohol are also other problems that happen among college kids. This happens again because of the excessive freedom, peer pressure and a way to cope with the stress or depression.

Studies have also shown that depression is a very serious mental health problem that college students go through. The study indicate that about 15% of students in America had some form of clinical depression and about 10% felt suicidal at some point of time.

Work-related stress: If you read mental health news articles, you’ll know that office anxiety and stress is another kind of mental health illness that is becoming very common in today’s deadline-oriented work ambience. Work related stress crops up from very tight and several times, unrealistic deadlines, sales target and quota and professional relationships with colleagues and bosses. At times, work pressure can be so intense that it can lead to panic attacks and depression. While stress has become a normal part of today’s work atmosphere, it is important to learn how to deal with the stress.

Symptoms of work stress: Loss of appetite or eating too much, insomnia, avoiding work, absence of mind, physical pain, smoking frequently and headaches are some of the symptoms to look out for. Stress can often lead to other serious health problems like stroke, cardiac problems and hypertension as well as painful physical conditions due to wrong working habits, posture and sedentary lifestyles.

Some of the ways that you can overcome stress is by using relaxation methods like deep-breathing, yoga, meditation and certain exercises. You can speak to a stress management consultant or a yoga expert to know about the exercises that can be beneficial for you. Exercising regularly is also recommended to reduce stress. Start your day with yoga, a brisk walk, a jog or a swim to clear your mind and making a fresh start. You can also join a gym and take some interesting physical fitness classes like aerobics, Pilates or kick-boxing. Exercising everyday can increase your brain function and can sharpen your decision-making powers.

The relationship you share with your colleagues and boss also determines the amount of stress you have. Often poor relationships with the people you work with and a strained relationship with the boss can add to the anxiety. Toxic relationships at work can cause stress, so find a way of working around your relationships or tackling them productively.

Alcoholism and abuse: Mental health problems often stem from substance abuse. People who drink too much and are alcoholics, they can lose focus in their lives. Let’s look at the drinking problem.

Drinking is part of several cultures. Sharing a bottle of wine or popping open the champagne, nursing a drink when you get together with friends and enjoying a glass of wine with a special meal are often things that lots of people do. However, when drinking crosses a line, it causes a problem. Drinking often becomes a problem for people who drink to feel good or to cope with a problem. Alcohol abuse and alcoholism can over power you and before you know, you’re glued to the bottle. Thus, it is important to know about the symptoms of alcoholism.

Watch out for symptoms like feeling ashamed or guilty for drinking, hiding your drinking habits from others, and the need to drink in order to feel better. People who drink a lot also start neglecting their responsibilities and drink when it might be dangerous like drunken driving. If you notice any of these symptoms in yourself or in others, then probably its time to meet a health expert and seek help. A person can also suddenly become an alcoholic while going through a stressful situation. Often social drinking can turn into alcoholism.

Eating disorders in kids: Anorexia and Bulimia is an eating disorder that is affecting kids across the world. These kids can be college going students, in high school or even in elementary school. The common age for being affected by anorexia and bulimia is the age bracket of 16-21 years. Some children often get obsessed about looking thin and equate beauty with thinness. Other kinds of mental stress can also lead to the problem.

Anxiety disorders: Everyone experiences stress, but in some people it turns into anxiety disorders. When stress starts accumulating and a person isn’t able to handle it, then it turns into an anxiety disorder. Stress can accumulate because of a traumatic event, work-related stress, constant stress and negative situations at work, abuse faced as a child. Genetic factors also play a part here and some people get stressed more easily than others. And if a person doesn’t have a network of good friends or family members, then the stress can get aggravated.

Submitted on January 16, 2014