Task 4 – Essay (30%)

According to the newspaper report, the number of mental health cases is rising among
Malaysian youth.

Write an essay on how to overcome stress and depression among students.

Stress and depression issues are one of the biggest issues which among Malaysian
students in secondary schools, colleges and universities. Depression is a condition of
low mood and disinclination to activity or lack of interest in something that can affect
human being’s thoughts, behaviour, feelings and sense of well (Vaishali, 2016). This
condition is a very serious and disabling psychiatric condition that sometimes leads to
suicide or premature death due to unattended physical problems (Al Qahtani & Al
Qahtani, 2017). Besides that, stress is a condition of mental pressure for certain
individual who is facing problems from environmental and social well-being which leads
to mental and physical illness (Deepti & Hemant, 2018).

First and foremost, one of the ways to overcome stress and depression among
students is they need to look after themselves and never abandon physical and mental
needs and they have to live a healthy lifestyle (Public Health Agency, 2011). If students
feel stressed and depressed, they must not skip their meals especially breakfast and eat
a variety of foods daily as guided by the Food Pyramid as the food provides all the
nutrients needed by the body. Then, they must cut down tea, coffee, and ‘energy’
drinks if they feel anxious and panic. During the day, they must be active or do some
activities such as going for a walk with a friend, taking the stairs instead of the lift or the
escalator and cycling in the morning or evening. Then, they should have good sleep at
night and if they cannot sleep due to anxiety, it is recommended for them to have a glass
of warm milk and caffeine-free drink. Relaxation exercise will also help them to sleep
well.

Furthermore, students who are suffering stress and depression should ask for help
from a psychiatrist to get psychotherapy treatment because a patient who is diagnosed
with depression is not able to cope with stress (10 great tips for dealing with depression
in college, 2017). Students should not feel embarrass to ask for help because
depression is a very common condition among students as the psychiatrist is already
quite familiar with it. Moreover, psychotherapy will help the students to identify the
causes of their symptoms of depression and the best ways to address these issues.
Psychotherapy is also called talk therapy is a treatment that involves a talking
relationship between a therapist and a patient. The treatment may take just a few
sessions over a week or two or may take many sessions over years depending on the
extent of the problem. Psychotherapy also can be done individually, with partners, with
a family, or in a group. Sometimes, antidepressant medications will be used by
psychiatrists to treat depression and mental illness as they have special training and
expertise using the medications.

Besides, if students feel extremely stressed out, they should take a break and do
something they love and enjoy because it can cheer up the mood and distract them from
a stressor (Scott, 2019). By doing something they love also will immensely reduce the
stress they feel from day to day life. Students are encourage to do fun activities because
the activities provides a source of eustress which is the 'good' kind of stress that keeps
them feeling vital and alive. To get this kind of stress, students could be riding a roller
coaster and do exciting challenges in their life. Students also need to have some
downtime to unwind, exercise and unplug because it allows students to clear their minds
and relax. Spending their time relaxing or indulging in a hobby can help them take their
mind off work, life issues and anything else that might be causing them to be stressed.
Doing hobbies that they love can have a tremendous impact on their study and well-
being.

Additionally, students may get a music therapy treatment from trained music
therapists as it is an effective way of alleviating depression (Bibi, Gholamreza, Morteza
& Khodamorad, 2016). All people can easily communicate with music because it is a
shared language. Moreover, music will help students express their emotions and it is a
melodic encouragement that helps the students to let go of suppressed feelings (Silny,
n.d). Music therapy is a simple and easily accessible treatment because there are two
main components in music which are rhythm and melody and these are among the
innate qualities of human beings. One of the reasons for music therapy is so effective is
that music can shift your focus away from a stressful or uncomfortable event to
something pleasant and soothing. In that way, it serves as a distraction. But music
therapy does more than just that which is music can help students to reduce stress and
anxiety through multiple pathways.
 On top of that, students also can do journaling as therapy. Journaling is simply
writing down thoughts and feelings to understand them more clearly and it also can help
the students to gain control of their emotions and improve their mental health (Scott,
2019). Other than that, journaling can help to manage anxiety, reduce stress and cope
with depression. By journaling, students can list their problems, fears, and concerns and
it helps students get to know themselves better because expressing themselves in a
journal can bring their thoughts and feelings to the surface. Then, journaling can help to
track any symptoms day-to-day so that they can recognize what they trigger and learn
ways to better control them. Besides, journaling provides an opportunity for positive self-
talk and identifying negative thoughts and behaviours. Students may write what they
want such as what is going on in their life, their current thoughts and feelings and what
they are striving towards or trying to avoid. Then, they have to reflect and review on it,
try to calm and focus. This can help students keep track of their progress and lead to
valuable insights.

In conclusion, students who suffered from stress and depression problems should
not be abandon and exiled by our society because stress and depression is a big deal
as it can lead to the worst consequence such as suicide, chronic illness, and feelings of
guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, hopelessness, and pessimism. Hence, society such
as family, friends, neighbourhood, and teachers must help the victims of stress and
depression to overcome the problems and provide moral support to the victims.
 COURSEWORK
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
MPU3022
TASK 4 – ESSAY

NAME : SARAH BINTI MOHD KHIR

CLASS: P1.10 BA