Why Students Sometimes Feel Empty and Lost?
By Ahmad Amirali
Yesterday, while reviewing my camp’s students remarks for me, I found a note of one of my camp students who once shared her depressive thoughts, which she usually encounters, especially in school. She describes that due to these depressive and empty thoughts, she even hardly concentrates on her studies. Moreover, It also affects her social life as she afraid of losing her friends will not understand her situation. She is not the only example; each year, many students share such experiences and stories with me. The depression and anxiety are the two most uprising problems which teenagers are facing nowadays. (Previous article: Teen Anxiety | Reasons and Remedies). The reasons varied according to the age and the context in which teen is living. However, apart of contextual challenges, why students sometimes feel empty and lost even when they surrounded with so many resources, family and friends?
Teen depression is a widespread problem and its on the rise, especially for college going teenagers. Depression or emptiness is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It can be identified through mood swings (Previous article: Why does Child’s Mood Start Swing after ten years? Causes and Preventive Measures) for example, feeling like your life is cursed, feeling like you are without hope, feeling like you are heading towards nothing in life or, even worse, feeling like being dead is actually sounds better than alive. However, some teens perform well in academics, having financial stability and have a strong social circle but still feel depressed and lonely. Adapting to new schedules and workloads, adjusting to life with roommates, figuring out how to belong, money and intimate relationships also can serve as major sources of stress. Dealing with these changes during the transition from adolescence to adulthood can trigger or unmask depression during college in some young adults (Previous article: Why does Child’s Mood Start Swing after ten years? Causes and Preventive Measures).
Being depressed can sometimes lead teenagers to get lower grades, missing out on big social opportunities, class consciousness experiencing physical health problems, or engaging in risky behaviours such as drug abuse, or binge drinking. However, symptoms of depression or emptiness cannot be measured or identified when a child is not living at home. Sometimes, out of fear and embarrassment, teens hide their feelings behind their fake emotions and triumph attitude. But what to do when, as a parent or a teacher, you find out that your child is experiencing depression and emptiness?
Following are some of the remedies which can help parents/teachers to help teens overcoming their depression issues. (Source: MayoClicnic)
- Encourage your child to avoid doing too many things at once. Instead, break up large tasks into small ones.
- Urge your child to get daily exercise, eat well, spend time in nature, get enough sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs. Use of alcohol and drugs is a poor way to cope with stress and anxiety. Keep in mind that when people abuse alcohol and drugs, depression can develop.
- Avoid getting up so late or taking energy drinks to boost up things. Using stimulants like energy drinks to stay up and study also can lead to mood changes.
- Encourage your child to spend time with supportive family members and friends or seek out student support groups.
- Encourage your child to go out with friends and try to have fun. He or she might be surprised to find enjoyment.
Remember students, teachers and parents, it important to know that depression symptoms might not get better on their own and depression might get worse if it isn’t treated. Feelings of depression can get in the way of your child’s academic success. They can also increase the likelihood of high-risk behaviours, such as binge drinking, other substance abuse, having early unsafe sex, and even increase the risk of suicide.
Be proactive, healthy and strong. Good Luck 😊