Understanding and managing student stress

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Extract from the article: In the academic world, often perceived as a time of intellectual and personal fulfillment, there lurks an evil that is often downplayed: student stress. Silent but omnipresent, it affects the majority of students, sometimes without their being ...

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In the academic world, often perceived as a time of intellectual and personal fulfillment, there lurks an evil that is often downplayed: student stress. Silent but omnipresent, it affects the majority of students, sometimes without their being fully aware of it. Understanding the mechanisms of this stress and learning how to manage it is essential to preserving your mental health and achieving success in your studies.

Stress is the body's natural response to a situation perceived as threatening or too demanding. Faced with a challenge, real or imagined, the brain triggers an alert mechanism. Adrenalin and cortisol are released, the heart rate accelerates and muscles tense up. This physical and psychological expression of inappropriate management can be life-saving in the short term, but dangerous if it becomes entrenched.

Major sources of stress

Behind the smile or discretion of many young people, inner storms are taking shape. The main triggers of stress in student life include family and academic pressures, fear of failure, isolation and social anxiety. Full-time or part-time students, young people away from their families for the first time, learners faced with job insecurity or uncertainties about their future - these are the heavy and sometimes insidious sources of stress. 

Managing student stress

Faced with these multiple tensions, it's essential to take action. Here are a few practical tips to help you manage stress on a daily basis.

Organize your time efficiently. Plan your tasks. Prioritize urgent matters and anticipate deadlines to avoid being overwhelmed. Take real breaks to breathe.  Limit digital distractions. This means turning off notifications during revisions. Reduce time spent on social networks to prevent addiction.  Maintaining a healthy lifestyle means eating a balanced diet, rich in omega-3s, magnesium, vitamins B and D. Get enough sleep and respect regular bedtimes.  Regular physical activity is also essential, including walking, dancing and indoor sports.  In the event of persistent stress, consult a professional.

In parallel, herbal teas such as lemongrass, bissap and clove can help to restore calm naturally. Beyond individual initiatives, it is urgent that schools take full measure of the problem. Awareness-raising, teaching adjustments, easier access to psychological care: student mental health must become a collective priority.

Student stress, though discreet, is no less devastating if ignored. To understand it is to begin a process of change. Managing it means giving every student the means to blossom, learn serenely and build their future with confidence.

Raymond DZAKPATA

Article validated by Dr Zinsou Selom Degboe, Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist at the Clinique de Psychiatrie et de Psychologie Médicale (CPPM), CHU Campus de Lomé.