Counselling: An urgent need for university students

Open discussion on mental health is largely ignored in Bangladesh primarily because of the stigma surrounding it. Most people still view mental illness as a taboo; those who are suffering are asked to simply "get over it" or told "it's all in their head." As a result, the burden of mental health continues to increase in the country.

As per the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), suicides are on an alarming rise and clearly represents a sign of deteriorating mental health. To focus on this growing crisis in academia, a nationwide study was conducted on students from higher educational institutions – both public and private. Three-fourth of the students were found to be suffering from varying degrees of depression. Using a globally validated scale (Beck's Inventory – BDI III), 21 percent were found to have severe depression. Another 25 percent were suffering from moderate to severe depression, while 26 percent were showing symptoms of mild to moderate depression.

Students reported their daily struggle with issues such as interpersonal relationships and financial concerns. A majority of the students also seem anxious and uncertain regarding the future and added responsibilities of adulthood. "I don't think I am prepared for the world of increased responsibilities," one student wrote. Other students were struggling to find the right purpose in life.

Mental health is vitally important but grossly ignored in the university space. The kind of indifference and apathy with which it is treated is appalling and poses a great threat to the future of our students.

On the academic front, dissatisfaction with their academic programmes and faculty members as well as increased academic pressure were also reported. Many worried about their employment, being stuck in a programme lacking decent job prospects. While the fear of unemployment is common for students nearing graduation, students in their early years reported their transition to university life as intimidating or exhausting and "often contradictory to what I expected." A number of students stated that the academic programme or career they were pursuing did not fit their personal interests or passion, but they had little choice in the matter.

The Covid pandemic exacerbated their situation. The limited scope for social interactions and on-campus activities was a frustrating experience for most students, leading to a life of loneliness and silent suffering. Besides, the possibility of delayed graduation and increased unemployment prospects only added to their woes.

While depression takes a serious toll on students, the one aspect that needs our immediate attention is students' suicidal inclinations, a condition said to be the second leading cause of death among the youth around the world, as per World Health Organization (WHO) reports. And major depression is often the factor behind suicidal attempts.

Many worried about their employment, being stuck in a programme lacking decent job prospects. While the fear of unemployment is common for students nearing graduation, students in their early years reported their transition to university life as intimidating or exhausting and "often contradictory to what I expected." A number of students stated that the academic programme or career they were pursuing did not fit their personal interests or passion, but they had little choice in the matter.

As per our study, at least 32 percent of the students reported that they had had suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives. But there's more to be concerned about: 29 students (or about five percent) stated that they would have killed themselves if they could.

This leads us to suggest the importance of mental health counselling and having honest conversations with students about what they are experiencing.

Discussing mental health with family and near ones is not easy, especially in this part of the world where mental illness is still viewed disparagingly. There are plenty of people who see mental illness and depression as an individual's lacking; some probably even reject its existence – a primary reason why many feel discouraged to talk openly about their suffering and to seek help.

According to our study, 65 percent of the students felt a constant need to be able to discuss their mental health situation with someone. This is where educational institutions can play an important role. Establishing a counselling centre in the university and ensuring easy access is a desperate need of the hour. Some of the universities offer counselling sessions; however, one may argue about their functionality. A majority of the students who reported the need to have a healthy discussion regarding their mental health, in spite of being aware of these opportunities available in their respective campuses, stayed away from taking help. A trust gap was evident.

The way universities address students' mental health needs serious attention. Professional counselling should be made available round the clock, and the staff and faculty members should be educated on this issue. Open classroom discussions also need to be considered to break the stigma, to make the students stay connected to each other, and help out their peers when needed, leading to the students' overall well-being.

Mental health is vitally important but grossly ignored in the university space. The kind of indifference and apathy with which it is treated is appalling and poses a great threat to the future of our students. Thanks to social media, we learn about students' mental health struggles, but surely this is not enough. The youth, our university students, are our future. Failure to recognise their mental health needs will diminish and even suffocate much of their potential. The sooner we realise this, the better. The sooner we act on it, even better.

This op-ed, the last of a four-part series, is the result of faculty-student collaboration designed to impact higher education in Bangladesh.

Dr Syed Saad Andaleeb is distinguished professor emeritus at Pennsylvania State University in the US, former faculty member of the IBA, Dhaka University, and former vice-chancellor of Brac University.

M Fahmun Nabi completed his MBA from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Dhaka University.