Within an education system that is predominantly goal oriented, young people have many expectations to live up to and perhaps not enough opportunity to talk about failure and the struggles of keeping up, according to the University’s Department of English lecturer Giuliana Fenech.
Through her job, which brings her into contact with several young people, Ms Fenech has noted that university students seem very much susceptible to anxiety, sometimes at high levels.
Young people operate in a culture which encourages ambitious ideals.
“Those studying may reach advanced intellectual levels of thinking but do not always have the emotional maturity needed to help them contain the issues they are invited to explore through their studies,” Ms Fenech explained.
While the mentality is slowly changing especially among more mature students, seeking professional help through therapy or counselling is still relatively taboo, she added.
“When I was going through a difficult period in my personal life and battling depression at the same time I realised how we are all predominantly encouraged to manage on our own and to manage consistently well, performing professionally, personally, culturally and even technologically as we juggle our virtual selves with our real ones no matter what inner struggles we face.
From my experience teaching, once young people see role models accept struggle with dignity, they will too- Giuliana Fenech
“Luckily a close friend who had been through similar experiences herself encouraged me to reach out for professional help and in doing so the cycle of fear was broken and replaced with a newfound self-awareness that gave me the confidence needed to deal with life’s struggles.
“Are our younger generations encouraged to reach out especially when their peers may be facing similar issues?”
Until vulnerability is acknowledged by society and viewed as healthy for human wellbeing and until we are aware that through vulnerability we are allowed to grow and become better people, then we will struggle, she said.
There is no shame in reaching out for help, Ms Fenech said, since it allows us to find solace and hope.
Letting go of a culture of shame would allow us to acknowledge others in more dignified and validating ways.
“Do our young generations know how to reach out and who to reach out to? Do they see adults, leaders, role models engaging in this process of reaching out for professional help?”
No one chooses anxiety or depression, Ms Fenech continued.No one decides when it kicks in and when it ends or how it will impact their lives and those of their loved ones.
“While few people are ready to speak out about their experience of depression, those who do are by far not the only ones battling it. From my experience teaching, once young people see their role models accept struggle with dignity, they will too.
“They realise that compassion is far more effective than judgement and that it is OK for them to feel insecure or imperfect sometimes, because that is part of being human.”