Are Universities Handling Mental Health Issues Correctly? Essay.

Are universities handling issues of mental health correctly? In my opinion, universities are teaching the students that they can be excused from common life occurrences instead of being resilient (Gillespie 54). Therefore, I agree with the statements put forth by Margaret Wente.

• Mental health among students has been an issue of concern in universities
• It is important that universities come up with certain measures to ensure that students are at the best mental state to carry out their studies
• The world today has changed immensely from the last few decades

• According to Professor Pardy, universities have gone too far in taking care of mental health issues.
• Instead, students are being handled like fragile beings in the name of mental disability
• The pampering of students with supposed mental disabilities are given an unfair advantage over the rest of the students (Eisenberg et al 66).

First Thesis Point

• Special treatment in the name of mental health support.

Example

• I have even experienced some students being allowed to skip classes because of mental health issues (Eisenberg et al 63)
• Some even have different places of studies and have special lectures than other students
• They are almost separated  from the rest of the students to access the special facilities

Concluding Statement

• This special treatment given makes them expect things to come easy for them and consequently makes them too fragile to handle issues of the world.

Second Thesis Point

• Students are being overly pampered and may not be ready for the real world

Example

• I feel that students when pampered too much expect the same in the work place and this is detrimental to their careers
• In line with being on the right side with the mental health activists, the universities’ hands are tied.
• For instance, the universities may not want to be singled out as not friendly to students with mental health issues, hence may use the special treatment to care for the students (Gillespie 60)

Concluding Sentence

• In the fear of being singled out as being unfriendly to students, Universities sometimes go overboard in the name of being understanding.

Third Thesis Point

• The reasons that are given for handling students with fragility are mere excuses

Example

• Some students say they are stressed due to long commutes, cyber bulling or social media influences
• Students should be taught that the world out there, especially when they start working, is a tough one hence they have to be strong enough to face everyday challenges

Concluding Sentence

• The outside world has even more reasons to distract a person so if a person is not taught to handle them in universities, they will not be equipped to handle them outside.

• The world we live in today has a lot of challenges
• Instead of students being taught how to handle them, they are protected from them
• According to me, this method of dealing with the problem is rather escapist and does not help the student
• What happens to the students when they graduate since they will have no one to protect them?
• The world is harsh and they should be taught appropriately on how to handle it.
• In my opinion, the special treatment is not an appropriate manner of dealing with mental health issues (Eisenberg et al 61).
• Empowering a student to face life adversities should be the focus

Reference:

Eisenberg, Daniel, Justin Hunt, and Nicole Speer. "Mental health in American colleges and universities: variation across student subgroups and across campuses." The Journal of nervous and mental disease 201.1 (2013): 60-67.

Gillespie, Nicole A., et al. "Occupational stress in universities: Staff perceptions of the causes, consequences and moderators of stress." Work & stress 15.1 (2001): 53-72.