Mental health a major concern among younger generation: Report

The Green Pencil Foundation – an NGO with a pan-India presence – recently conducted a survey on the mental health and wellness of Siddharth Madhyamik Vidyalaya students from the rural areas of Ambivali near Kalyan. The study, with a sample size of 100 teens in the age group of 13-14 years from underprivileged backgrounds, revealed that one out of five students has looked for online resources to deal with anxiety or depression.

𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Survey statistics indicate that 64.2% of the students felt the leading cause of stress and anxiety is issues and quarrels with peers at school. Moreover, the stress caused by family issues and school work is comparably lower.

𝗕𝗼𝘆𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀

According to survey conductor Rakshita Manglani, despite studies not being the leading cause of mental health issues, 89% of students felt overburdened. Additionally, 87.5% occasionally found it uncomfortable to talk about their mental health issues to anyone and instead, chose to be by themselves. Manglani observed that boys were more reluctant to open up about their issues compared to girls.

“Our survey has highlighted the need for effective mental health resources and support for the younger generation. Teachers and parents need to work together to address the stress and pressure students feel, particularly in regard to exams,” she said, adding that efforts must be made to bridge the gap between students and their parents, while more open communication about mental health should be encouraged.

The Green Pencil Foundation is scheduled to conduct similar surveys in the Thane-Kalyan region, Navi Mumbai, and western suburbs of the city, with students of all backgrounds participating.