By Tessa & Hong Liang
In Singapore, depression amongst youths has become a more prevalent issue than before. Based on recent research carried out by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), it is estimated that almost 16% of Singapore’s youth suffer from depression. This staggering number of depressed youths is indeed a worrying sign as very often, many youths are unable to comprehend what they are going through and such a lack of knowledge may eventually contribute to youth suicide. With so many things on their plate such as needing to fit in, coping with the competitive education system and worrying about relationships with others, it is understandable why many Singapore youths find themselves overwhelmed with stress and often fall into depression. While a moderate amount of stress can be healthy in stirring competition and productive results, excessive stress may take a toll on their mental health and may eventually lead to depression.
What triggers depression?
From a scientific standpoint, depression is simply caused when, due to internal or external factors, the brain of the affected has a chemical imbalance, usually hormones. Factors that cause these can range from simple build up of stress, to surprisingly even child birth which manifests in postnatal depression. With the academic rigour of the education system in Singapore and the Asian values which hold education standards in high regards that most families in Singapore adopt, it is thus no wonder that many Singaporeans believe the recent spikes in cases of depression and related mental ailments in students are due to these external stressors and have called for changes to the grading system among other things. However, I believe that the majority of Singaporeans have overlooked the internal factors, which is to say, the students themselves and their expectations of themselves. Many students feel burdened not just by their parents' expectations of them, but by society’s as well. The concept of success as a student is wholly predicated on the grades they achieve, the amount and quality of activities and leadership experiences they can cram into their report books, their aptitude in sports or performing arts, et cetera.
This leads students who are self reflecting to unduly pressure themselves to push for “success” so as to not disappoint their loved ones and to secure their future. In a poll by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 86 percent of students in Singapore said they were worried about poor grades, compared to the 66 percent average across the 72 polled countries, and that 82 percent of Singapore students wanted to be the top of their class, compared to the 60 percent average. This shows a possible relationship between stress and the students’ drive for good grades. Unfortunately for Singapore, these causes of depression are also the drivers of her success. Thus, is it possible to reduce the stress weighing on our students without sacrificing our outstanding education system that has propelled our economy since our independence?
What are the symptoms of depression?
Feeling unhappy is definitely a normal reaction to feel when we are going through a difficult time. However, if such feelings are prolonged, it can be a tell-tale sign of depression and medical help should be sought as soon as possible. Aside from feeling unhappy for a long period of time, other symptoms of depression include insomnia, restlessness, pessimism, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts and many more. Recognising the symptoms is key in treating depression as if depression is left unattended, the symptoms may worsen and may eventually lead to youth suicide, as it does for about 1 in every 10 people diagnosed with depression.
Solutions to the rise in student depression.
Reducing stress, and thereby depression, has become a more attainable goal in recent years. External factors are already being reduced as we speak, with policymakers in the Ministry of Education (MOE) rolling out some new policies such as changing the grading system to provide more leniency and room for students who are aiming for certain grades to reach their desired school. For internal factors, the government is taking steps as well. The classic “Every school is a good school” quote was told to parents to remind them to manage their expectations on their children in hopes that students would not need to pressure themselves as hard. Teachers are being re-trained so that they would teach students how to manage their own expectations and stress as well. Overall, Singapore is taking the right step in fighting depression in students. However, I would like to also recommend certain steps that Singapore, or even you the readers may take should you be feeling a little under the weather while studying. Studies have shown that adopting a “growth mindset” can help students manage their stress. A “growth” mindset, as the name suggests, is a mindset which does not focus on fixed results, but instead the growth and development of talents and aptitudes of students. Students who embrace this way of thinking will hopefully thus be less impacted by failures, or even spin them in a positive light. These studies come to the conclusion that just a single session educating students to change their mindsets can effect lasting changes in their life long struggles with stress, which is extremely promising as a cost effective and efficient way to dealing with the current global rise in student and teen depression around the globe.Thus, encouraging the proliferation of this growth mindset in students maybe one of the viable solutions to the rise in student depression cases in Singapore.
Everyone can make a difference in the fight against student depression. Whether it be a friend, sibling, a cousin or distant relative, even your own child, they could possibly be suffering in silence. After all, depression manifests in many ways and not all of them are visible at a glance. At the next family gathering, or just over the table during one of your meals, discuss the topic and provide support for the youths in your lives . Do not downplay the stresses of student life compared to the working lives of adults, and should you find the adoption of the growth mindset to be an effective method of reducing stress, teach it to your friends and family. If everyone makes an effort, while the eradication of student depression may be as impossible as cutting a boulder in half with your hands, with some time and consistent effort and attention, we can at the very least prevent this problem from possibly spiralling out of control.
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