Photo: Clinical Advisor

Students in medical institutions are directly related to health professionals yet they have higher rates of depression than the average person. The suicide rate has been elevated among the students pursuing an undergraduate degree in medical studies. In the new research published in Kathmandu University Medical Journal, 538 students were analyzed and it was found that 29.9 percent of students had higher psychiatric morbidity depression, 41.1 percent students had anxiety and 27 percent students had stress. Despite these alarming number, only a few students or no students sought treatment from health care provider. Mental health is taken as a social taboo and the students do not open up regarding these issues. The students have fear of being tagged with humiliating words ‘Psycho’ and ‘Mental’. In addition of being embarrassed, being mentally healthy is not given much importance in the country. There is a lack of inspiration and motivation from the faculty and seniors. Generally, the advice victims receive from them is that it is the way all the medical students graduated and you should adapt to it. As they do not seek treatment, the level of depression accumulates which ultimately leads to suicide. Parents are equally to be blamed for the higher rate of depression in university students. They force the students to take a career which fulfills their unfinished dream. The students are compelled to enroll in those fields which would provide them an opportunity to boost about in the social events. There has been a trend of admitting students in university which would give them a prestigious career. During this process, the students’ views, opinions, and interest are not considered or even not sought. This forceful enrollment pressurizes them and when failed in examination causes depression. Not being able to live up to the expectation of parents makes them frustrated. Long hours of study, late night awakening and monotonous routine and more importantly studying those subject in which one possesses no interest makes student depressed. It’s paradoxical why not much attention is given to study depression in students which is one of the main cause high failing rates in the university.