Practicing psychiatry or psychology in the academe is not an easy task. Teaching students is already an exhausting endeavor. However, more than that, educators need to be observant of their students’ behavior and mental health. Otherwise, their teaching and promoting a healthy mental system will go to waste.
Anxiety disorders come in 2 types: the obvious cases and silent cases.
Obvious case symptoms
The student who is always grumpy and aggressive at school tends to also be the one who is quiet about his issues and has problems within his own home.
The reason for a student’s tardiness and absences could be because of loss of determination to strive due to anxiety over personal problems.
Silent case symptoms
The student has a very good performance in school. A lot of students who do really well in class are sometimes being pressured by their family and friends to maintain their high rankings. It is not always bad but pushing a person too much may cause him too much stress and anxiety.
What you could do:
- Conduct an assessment and consultation with each of your students on a regular basis.
- See to it that students get to gather up in some school activities and build up a sense of camaraderie and fellowship—this will help them connect with one another and thus, be more open in engaging themselves socially.
- Approach students who seem to be going through something and talk to them in a friendly way. Make them feel that you can understand them and that you’re ready to support them in any possible way.
Being an educator goes way beyond than just teaching. As a promoter of mental health awareness, you should keep an eye on your students, especially those who might be suffering from mental health issues.