Students could share personal problems on the platform and get advice as well. This could be a space to “reveal,” she said.
The psychological burden of stress has become a collective issue, affecting both students and teachers, Sholkamy said. She cited increased levels of symptoms of such psychological burdens, including tension, anxiety, and distraction due to daily pressures.
The university realised that ignoring this matter would make the consequences worse, reflecting on academic performance and possibly turning into mental illness, she said.
A Three-Prong Approach
The initiative will work on three fronts:
- changing the university’s culture on mental health through campaigns designed to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness;
- enhancing the level of mental health services on campus; and
- improving policies, protocols and training related to mental health.
Sholkamy that the campaign should be multi-faceted to cover psychological, sports, sexual, and emotional aspects of well-being.
It will also need to address issues like public awareness of mental health, patients’ confidentiality, the privacy of mental health information, the waiting list to get the services, and the stigma associated with mental illness.
The campaign is an attempt to create an environment conducive to mental health across the campus, she said. It makes an “important shift” from dealing with psychological stress as a matter of individual cases to designing a good mental health environment that protects and meets the needs of everyone.
Taking Diversity Into Account
Several students agreed on the importance of promoting mental health on campus, given the pressures students face, which can lead to feelings such as anxiety and confusion, and affect their ability to concentrate.
Some students also said the initiative should accommodate their diverse backgrounds.
Khaled Yousif, a business administration student, told Al-Fanar Media that there is an urgent need for programmes that support both psychological health and academic achievement.
[Enjoying this article? Subscribe to our free newsletter.]
Programmes aimed at supporting mental health and well-being should protect the confidentiality of those seeking help and should be provided in a way consistent with students’ culture, Yousif said.
Language is usually a “big” obstacle to communication between students and mental health care providers, he said. “The initiative must also understand the disparities in the students’ social and economic backgrounds,” he added.
Related Reading