Students urged to prioritise mental health as new academic year begins
<p>Doha, Qatar: As university students return to campuses for a new academic year, mental health should be treated as a key part of academic success, with early recognition of stress and timely support helping prevent temporary distress from developing into more serious problems, a clinical psychologist has said.</p> <p>A Clinical Psychologist at Sidra Medicine, Dr. Nour Abdelghani said the…
As university students return to their campuses for the start of a new academic year, clinical psychologist Dr. Nour Abdelghani from Sidra Medicine warns that mental health should be given high priority. She explains that the beginning of an academic year brings significant transition and growth, which can trigger anxiety, self-doubt, and uncertainty, especially for students who are unfamiliar with their new environment.
Dr. Abdelghani emphasizes that setting the right mental and emotional tone at the start of the year can help students establish routines earlier, allowing them to focus on their studies and long-term goals. While stress is a normal reaction to academic pressure, she advises students to identify when stress extends beyond the initial trigger.
Persistent sleep issues, changes in appetite, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, and excessive worry about assignments and exams may indicate that additional support is required.
The psychologist also cautions that social media can have a "double-edged sword" effect on students. While it enables connections with peers and the sharing of experiences, it can also foster unrealistic expectations about university life. Students might feel like everyone else is coping better or achieving more, leading to feelings of inadequacy and a fear of failure. This, in turn, can result in academic avoidance, falling behind, and underperformance.
Loneliness can also affect students even when surrounded by others, particularly those transitioning from familiar school settings to a large university. Dr. Abdelghani encourages patience at the beginning of the year and advises students to attend activities that interest them, introduce themselves to others, and gradually build a support network.
Despite being surrounded by people, some students still experience loneliness. Dr. Abdelghani stresses that universities must go beyond offering counselling by promoting open conversations about mental health and training faculty and staff to identify warning signs and connect students with appropriate support. She urges students to treat themselves with compassion, like they would a close friend starting a significant journey, and to seek help when needed as early as possible.
Written by urgent.news from The Peninsula Qatar's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
