Main image via Pexels

Stress is an increasing problem plaguing teenagers in the country.

Based on the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2017 (NHMS 2017) by the Health Ministry’s Institute for Public Health (IPH) 2017, Malaysians between the ages of 13 to 17 are shown to be critically suffering from mental health problems.

It was found that one in five students are suffering from depression (18.3%), two in five have anxiety (39.7%), and one in 10 suffers from stress (9.6%). What’s more, out of 284,516 surveyed, 5,104 have received counselling from their school’s counsellors.

Additionally, 50% of the students that participated in the study are found to be going through personal problems, which include exam stress, family issues, peer-related troubles and problems with their teachers.

Image via Pexels

In a more shocking discovery, suicide cases among our students were found to have a correlation with our exam-oriented education system, which not only causes undue stress that affects the students, but teachers as well.

The suicidal behaviour rate among teenagers has increased substantially among teens since NHMS 2012, and the highest behaviour recorded is among Form 1 students.

I mage via Pexels

With major school exams nearing, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Counselling Centre Director, Dr Zulfikar Ahmad, are advising parents to monitor changes in behavioural patterns of their children. These could be tell-tale signs of severe stress.

Some of the signs to look out for are isolation, loss of appetite, and changes in their normal routine. He added that parents should also spend more times with their children to know them better.

Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister, Teo Nie Ching, said that the ministry is finding ways to reduce the exam stress that is faced by students. One initiative that has been introduced to tackle this issue is the Healthy Mind Programme.

Among the objectives of this programme is to encourage mental health awareness, and to identify stress, anxiety and depression levels among students.

