echo Studying abroad, living your own life in a land far away. Fun and the time of your life, but for the reality of many international students, that isn’t the truth. Loneliness, depression, and hopelessness are often the reality for many students. About 45% of international students reported having faced anxiety and depression, according to the World Health Organisation.
Stressed International Student
Going overseas to study for your future is something that hits close to home, especially for many Sunwayians. Whether it’s you or someone you know here or overseas, coping with being in another country can be a challenge. It is important we understand this, figure it out, and see what we could do.
What Mental Health Problems Do International Students Face?
There are many types of mental health problems international students go through, and the reasons are equally diverse. They could range from emotional to social and cultural stress, combining environmental and personal elements. Some of the most common mental health issues are loneliness, anxiety, and depression – problems that could really affect a student’s academic life as well as their general well-being.
Loneliness
Loneliness takes all shapes – it’s not always even physical. It’s very common to feel emotionally remote from other people, especially when it’s hard to meet others who truly understand you. Creating those genuine emotional connections and bonds takes a lot of time, and for international students, it’s often drifted even further hindered by differences in culture, strange ways of life, and conflicting values. These differences may only complicate it a little bit to establish deep friendships, particularly in relation to close ties they might have experienced at home.
Family is also a strong factor to consider. Homesickness is not an easy issue. For foreign students away from family, routine habits, holidays, and the everyday comfort of ‘home sweet home’ life all may vanish. Time zones make even a phone call an ordeal, and the geographic distance contributes even more to the sense of loneliness. For most, family gives emotional support. When stress at school or adapting to culture is an issue, the absence of that support adds further burden.
The symptoms of loneliness can infuse every facet of student life. A student may seem to be getting along on the surface – still attending class, turning in work, and going through everyday conversations – but they may be feeling emotional exhaustion. If this sense of loneliness is left over time, it can lead to a breakdown in motivation, social withdrawal, and even depressive or anxious symptoms.
Anxiety
Anxiety is quite a frequent and usually suffocating experience for most foreign students. Having to excel academically while coping with a completely strange environment tends to create numerous mountains of stress and wear and tear on fear. Not only are the students exposed to a new education system, but new surroundings may be added to that, and hence new individuals, and in certain instances, a new language. It tires the students mentally and emotionally to exist in this state of perpetual adjustment, thereby making them more anxious.
Academic stress is one of the major sources of stress among international students. Students typically have a huge responsibility to perform well in school, many times with their sponsors’ or family’s expectations back home. Falling behind in school, not understanding the assignments, or failing in school is extremely hard, especially when students feel like they have no support system to rely on to help. Secondly, anxiety can be exacerbated by fear of failure due to visa regulations, financial concerns, or an inability to secure employment in their host country.
There is also anxiety caused by social and cultural issues. Insecurity and frustration can result from difficulty in adapting to the crowd, making friends, or communicating effectively using a foreign language. Students fear being judged or misunderstood and hence retreat and isolate themselves. Such feelings can build up over time and harm the overall well-being of a student. Anxiety can go undetected if there isn’t a proper support system, which is why it is phenomenally important for universities and societies to reach out, reduce the stigma around mental health conversations, and offer help.
Depression
Depression among international students is often a result of feelings of isolation and loss of identity. To go to another country means to leave behind good friends and the cultural norms, language, and manner of everyday life that made them what they are. In a new country, students might feel that they have to change or act instead of being themselves. Being disconnected from culture can cause people to feel numb or alone emotionally, as if nothing is ever really comforting or “real”.
Financial problems are another key reason that can lead to depression. The majority of foreign students are actually under a lot of stress to pay tuition fees, living expenses, and surprise bills without much potential for work or student aid. Worrying excessively about money can lead to perpetual worry, especially for people who come from impoverished backgrounds or have the added burden of taking care of members of their families back home. Once financial problems linger and are not addressed, people become helpless and very depressed.
Social comparison can also subtly foster depressive thinking. Thanks to social media and challenging university situations, it is easy for international students to feel as though they are not doing enough or measuring up, especially when seeing friends thrive or enjoy university. This pressure to be happy or successful externally, regardless of how terrible you may feel internally, can make students feel even more alone. When a person begins to think they are not good enough or that they will never catch up, it can greatly affect their mental and emotional health.
How Do We Overcome These Challenges?
Mental issues like depression, anxiety, and loneliness are more common in international students than people realise. They do not have one cause; they are the product of a mix of being in a different culture, academic stress, financial issues, and homesickness. While studying abroad is a significant and enriching experience, it has unseen emotional difficulties.
However, you can get past these difficulties. It starts with open discussions, attainably accessed support systems, and a community that listens without judgment. Whether it’s a university offering better mental health services, having friends willing to listen, or students learning to watch out for themselves and request help – every measure helps. Studying abroad doesn’t need to be alienating or stressful. With the right kind of guidance and support, international students can not just survive but excel in life.
Written By: Jihad
Edited By: Tisyha
