Educational institutions can leverage technology in combination with wellbeing practices such as yoga and meditation to reduce stress among students, says Prakriti Poddar.
Student life is an exciting time of transition when we cross the threshold into adulthood by redrawing personal boundaries, flexing our independence, and exploring new identities and career paths. But as our world is changing and being redefined by challenges such as climate change, economic uncertainty and addiction to technology, students are struggling to cope. For instance, in India, 14 per cent of 15-to-24-year-olds reported “often feeling depressed or having little interest in doing things” in a 2021 UNICEF study. The National Crime Records Bureau data from 2021 showed that student suicides in India that year were at a five-year high.
“At a time when students should be at the height of their hunger for life, they are struggling to even show up at the table. I feel that educational institutions can take the lead in addressing this challenge by reimagining mental health and wellbeing on campus,” says Prakriti Poddar, Global Head, Mental Health & Wellbeing, RoundGlass Living app, which offers solutions to manage anxiety and stress.
Poddar recommends the following ways to make educational campuses more enabling for students’ mental health:
Create safe spaces on campus
Students should be able to talk about their mental health struggles and seek support from trained professionals.
Leverage wellbeing tech
Reach out to tech-savvy students in their comfort zone, by leveraging the latest wellbeing technology (apps, fitness trackers, etc). “Supplement tech interventions with supportive wellbeing practices such as meditation and yoga, sleep stories, and healthy recipes,” says Poddar who is a mother to three school-going students.
Train faculty
They can be trained to become “first responders” who can respond sensitively to the needs of a neuro-diverse student community and can identify students in distress.
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Prioritize wellbeing on campus
Plant the flag of wholistic wellbeing on campus by keeping the wellbeing of students at the centre of every managerial and academic decision.
Organize wellbeing events
Such as mental health workshops, counselling camps, and wellness weeks that teach students stress-and-anxiety-reducing techniques such as meditation, mindfulness, and yoga.
Prevent student burnout
Academic overload and sleep deprivation can leave students mentally and physically exhausted. Poddar adds that social connections and extra-curricular activities are an important part of the student life and essential for their wholistic development.
To reverse the troubling trends in student mental health, Poddar says that they should be provided with relatable resources and support.
“We need to inspire students to take care of themselves by exercising, prioritizing sleep, eating well, and getting social. If we can put the tools in their hands, they can take on adulthood with the abundant health, happiness, and empathy our world so greatly needs,” she concludes.
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