The experience of anxiety can be affected by the individual’s personality, their support system, their ability to cope and their family history. According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, the most common mental health problems on college campuses are anxiety disorders. The experience of anxiety among the student body is high and can present many challenges, such as the inability to maintain relationships and difficulty being academically successful.
Academic Pressures
A student’s anxiety may develop from the pressures associated with tests, grades, getting into college and getting a scholarship. TeensHealth.org reports that students who are perfectionists and students who are unprepared for tests but who care about how they do are likely to experience test anxiety. Students experience the pressure to the best of their abilities in order to get into the college they want and to receive the scholarships. These academic pressures may affect anxiety levels.
Peer Pressure
Student experience a tremendous amount of peer pressure. A student may feel he has to engage in certain activities in order to fit in, such as trying drugs or alcohol, having sex, wearing the best clothes, getting the best grades or performing well on a sports team. These pressures to fit in among peers can affect a student's anxiety levels.
Parental Conflict
Dealing with parents who are in conflict with one another can affect the anxiety a student experiences. Whether it is dealing with divorced parents or parents who use the student as a messenger or a buffer between them, a student’s anxiety levels can increase with the added pressure of parental conflict. It is important for parents to deal with their conflicts amongst themselves and avoid involving the children.
Medical Conditions
There are a number of medical conditions that may influence the development of anxiety in students. According to the MayoClinic.com, some of these conditions include diabetes, thyroid problems, asthma, withdrawal from anti-anxiety medications, rare tumors that produce stress hormones and muscle cramps or spasms. A student experiencing anxiety should check with his doctor to see if any of these problems may be the cause.
Alcohol and Drug Use
Substance abuse among students is likely to worsen anxiety or contribute to the development of anxiety. HelpGuide.org reports that substances such as alcohol and nicotine are likely to be used as a way to reduce anxiety and worry, but alcohol, along with nicotine, actually contributes to increases in a person's anxiety levels.
Lack of Sleep
The pressures of being a student may contribute to getting less sleep at night. When a student regularly misses out on sleep and becomes sleep deprived, her ability to deal and cope with stressors is reduced, notes HelpGuide.org. Getting good quality sleep every night can help a student appropriately deal with daily problems or issues and put anxieties or worries into perspective.
