Student life is hard. There are no two ways about it. Between balancing classes, trying to make new friends, and working part-time jobs to pay for all the textbooks, most students feel like they’re constantly stretched thin.

But for some students, this struggle is compounded by mental health challenges. These conditions can make everyday tasks feel impossible, whether it’s anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or something else entirely.

Mental health is should never be taken lightly. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five adults in the United States endures a mental health condition in a given year.

For students, this number is even higher. Unfortunately, many students do not have adequate support from their families, peers, or educators when managing their mental health. Here are certain ways you can support a student facing a mental challenge.

Address Their Concerns:

The most significant thing you can do is listen to the student. Let them know that you’re there for them and that they can talk to you about anything.

Don’t judge or dismiss their concerns, no matter how small they seem. Sometimes, it’s helpful to have someone to talk to who will listen without judgment.

It’s a relief that educational institutes are now actively taking part in recognizing and handling mental health disorders that students face.

The services provided by schools are a great start, but we need to do better in the future. By offering online special education courses to educators, they will be able to handle the influx of mental health cases that come into their schools.

Encourage Them to Seek Help:

Since mental health is still a taboo topic in many circles, it can be difficult for people to seek help. However, they must do so if they’re feeling overwhelmed.

Encourage the student to talk to their doctor, therapist, or trusted professional. If they’re not sure where to start, help them look for resources in their community.

Sometimes, you’ll have to understand the situation and be proactive yourself. If you have a student falling behind in school, it might be because of an undiagnosed mental health disorder.

You should reach out to a special education consultant to help get your student back on track.

Create a Safe Space:

A safe space is somewhere the student can go when they need a break from the demands of school or life.

It could be a quiet corner of the library, a designated room in the student union, or even just their bedroom. The important thing is that the student feels like they can go there without judgment.

Ensure the safe space is stocked with comfortable seating, soothing music, and any other supplies the student might need.

You can also create a safe online space by setting up a private chatroom or forum for students and friends.

Provide Resources:

There are many resources available for students with mental health challenges. These resources include books, websites, support groups, and therapy services. Encourage the student to explore all of their options and find what works best for them.

If the student is struggling to pay for treatment or medication, see if there are resources available in your community. There are often programs available that can help with the cost.

Develop Awareness Programs:

Out of the 75 million students in the United States, about half will experience a mental health challenge. It means that educators and other school staff are uniquely positioned to help. They can develop awareness programs that teach students about mental health and how to deal with it.


Awareness programs can also help to reduce the stigma around mental health disorders. When students know that their peers are dealing with similar challenges, they’re more likely to seek help.

Make Learning Easy:

One of the leading causes of stress and anxiety for students is schoolwork. Break it down into smaller tasks and set deadlines for each one.

Make sure the student has a clear understanding of what is expected of them and help them develop a plan for completing their work.

If the student is struggling with a particular subject, see if there are any resources available to help them. Many online tutorials and videos can easily teach them the material to understand.

Normalize Academic Struggle:

Every child learns in different ways and at different speeds. It’s important not to compare students to one another or expect them all to achieve the same level of success.

Normalizing academic effort and difficulty aids students in developing a more realistic grasp of the learning process.

Instructional choices that encourage a development mentality can counteract perfectionism tendencies while encouraging learner behaviors associated with academic resilience.

Promote Self Care and Wellness:

To illustrate how instructors might use a syllabus statement. Imagine that you teach a class of about 100 students on the beach at low tide.

As students watch the ocean recede and return, instructors need to remind them of their power as individuals and as community members (e.g., another human being).

Instructors may also enhance what was started in a syllabus statement by stressing self-care and wellness throughout the semester.

This repetition and amplification may occur in various ways. Instructors may walk through the course to check in with the class when student stress or anxiety is more likely to increase (e.g., near due dates for major assignments following a campus hate incident).

In addition to these check-ins, instructors might emphasize the advantages of self-care tactics such as adequate rest, nutritious food, and exercise on their own.

Two happy friendly diverse professionals, teacher and student giving high five standing in office celebrating success, good cooperation result, partnership teamwork and team motivation in office work.

Offer Free Mental Health Screenings:

Mental health disorders can go undetected for years. It is especially true for students who are reluctant to seek help.

Offer free mental health screenings to all students. It will help identify any mental health challenges early on and provide the necessary support.

Several institutions have begun offering free, accessible screenings to normalize mental health checkups for their students. The screenings can be done in person or online.

Bottom Line:

When it comes to higher education, students face a plethora of issues. While the challenges faced by students may be complex, instructors can use their position in the classroom to normalize a focus on student mental health and establish an educational experience that encourages a development mindset and resilience.

Instructors can offer compassion and academic assistance when mental health difficulties arise while connecting students to necessary support and resources.

Instructors who employ these strategies may reduce the stigma of seeking mental health assistance and help students attain degree completion and success after graduation.

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