As the number of students looking for assignment help increases worldwide, several experts try to figure out the underlying reasons behind this phenomenon. Upon further investigation, these experts conclude that one of the leading causes for seeking expert guidance in academics is the deteriorating mental health of students.
A 2019 Pew research notes that 70% of teenagers believe that anxiety and depression amongst their peers have become a cause for significant concern. On top of academic stress, college students undergo a major life transition during this phase. Thus, it’s not surprising that the Centre For Collegiate Mental Health 2017 Annual Report from Penn State University records anxiety and depression as the most common reasons students seek mental health services.
Taking the first few steps into adulthood can be jarring and leave you scrambling to keep up with the cut-throat competition to secure the best grades in assignments. Unfortunately, the overwhelming pressure to succeed has turned schools into pressure cookers where students have no option but to deal with homework overload at the cost of their mental peace.
Some of the leading reasons that compel students to look for English, law, medical, engineering, and computer science homework help are:
1. Sleep disruption
When you have hundreds of assignments to complete in a limited amount of time, it’s pretty natural to overdose yourself with caffeine and pull multiple all-nighters. As a result, almost 72.7% of high school students have reported insufficient sleep, with 20% admitting to getting less than 6 hours of sleep every day. Such sleep deprivation can increase the chances of depression, anxiety, low immunity, and high blood pressure in students.
2. Loneliness
In a survey of 689 students by the Nutrition and Physical Activity in Adolescence, altogether 32.4% students claimed to feel moderately lonely, while 3.2% felt severely lonely. The loneliness is both physical as students have to adjust to entirely new surroundings away from their loved ones and emotional as the lack of connection to peers can cause severe distress over time.
3. Assignment overload
Anxiety due to excess assignments usually begins from the first college semester and increases with every subsequent year. While most students find a solution in study help services online, thousands of students cannot hire professional experts to help them with their tasks. As a result, the overwhelming stress is bound to catch up and leave you helpless over time.
4. Uncertainty of the future
College students in their last semester report more cases of severe anxiety due to the uncertainty over their future. Of course, the unknown always holds an element of fear in it. But if you haven’t figured out the direction you’d like to take in the future, the anxiety can easily overwhelm you to the point of crippling depression.
However, even if the odds seem stacked against you, there’s no reason to lose hope. Instead, you can adopt several measures to help you overcome stress and maintain good mental health.
10 Measures That Helps in Academic Anxiety
Despite the increased mental health awareness in institutions worldwide, it is challenging for students to figure out the best measures to keep anxiety at bay. Moreover, seeking professional help can be expensive and inaccessible to most students. Hence, let’s go over a few steps you can take independently to avoid falling into the pits of anxiety.
1. Accept that you need help
College and university are challenging enough that most students end up avoiding the topic of anxiety altogether. However, if you leave the stress to fester, the situation will soon get out of hand. So, the first step to getting better is to accept that the problem won’t get better unless you actively try to resolve it.
2. Learn to study smart
There’s no doubt that you need to study hard if you wish to secure fantastic grades in your assignment. However, there’s no point in pushing yourself to the extreme if you wear yourself thin. Thus, the trick is to study smart. For example, instead of mindlessly working on your assignments for hours, try to figure out your most productive hours and complete the challenging tasks during that time.
3. Maintain a consistent pattern
The human mind works at full potential when there is a consistent pattern behind any behaviour. So first, you need to figure out which steps work for you the best – are you more comfortable working on your assignments in the morning? Or do you feel most energetic once you return to your room after classes? Once you realise which pattern makes you the most productive, you should follow the same routine every day.
4. Identify the signs early
The best way to avoid falling into a depressive episode is to identify the signs of anxiety early on. For example, suppose you start to feel disconnected from your studies and feel an overwhelming sense of lethargy for a prolonged period. In that case, it’s safe to assume you’re going through the preliminary stages of anxiety. So, as soon as you identify the signs, you must take immediate measures to manage the situation.
5. Find some time to exercise
Several studies have concluded that exercise can reduce stress significantly. This is because regular aerobic exercise provides stimulation, boosts the release of endorphins in your body, and reduces stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Furthermore, you can notice a rise in strength and boost in concentration powers.
6. Meditate regularly
Most students in college and university struggle to keep up with their assignments due to a lack of concentration. Stray thoughts can hinder your ability to work on your tasks effectively.
Thus, meditation for at least half an hour every day helps bring yourself back in the moment and eliminate the cluttering thoughts in your head.
7. Maintain a good sleeping pattern
A student needs to sleep for at least 7 to 8 hours every day to function effectively. But unfortunately, most students end up pulling all-nighters due to excessive homework and suffer from high stress and anxiety over time.
For this reason, you must go to sleep early and ensure to rest your body and mind for at least eight hours.
8. Avoid skipping meals
College can be so stressful that eating meals regularly becomes the least priority for most students. However, this can decrease your blood sugar levels and increase the release of stress hormones like cortisol, causing fatigue and irritability.
Since it is impossible to focus on assignments when fatigued, try to have at least three meals a day.
9. Check for learning disabilities
Sometimes, you might face challenges with your assignment if you have learning disabilities like dyslexia, ADHD, dyscalculia, etc. However, if such issues are undetected, you end up blaming yourself for a situation that is out of your control. Hence, if you face trouble keeping up with classes and assignments despite trying your best, it might help to see a professional.
10. Go for a professional counselling session
If you’ve tried every measure to improve your academics and reduce stress but cannot notice any difference, seeking help from a professional counsellor can be of much help. These professionals have years of experience guiding students in the right direction and can help you overcome challenges over time.
Summing it up,
The rising academic demands have caused millions of students worldwide to suffer from stress and anxiety-related disorders. However, such issues remain undetected in many instances and cause much distress. Therefore, this blog aims to help you adopt steps that significantly reduce stress levels.
Author bio:
Anne Gill is a professional academic consultant at Myassignmenthelp.co.uk. She has been providing assignment help to students for the past decade. Gill has completed her Ph.D. from a reputed university in the UK.
