In recent years, overseas students"Depression", "dropping out of school", and "suicide" are in the news one after anotherThe psychological condition of international students has also attracted everyone's attention.
On November 15, 2023, Tiansi Xin, a Chinese doctoral student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, unfortunately passed away, and many ** claimed to have died by suicide.
On August 28, 2023, Chinese doctoral student Qi Tailei shot and killed his doctoral supervisor on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the court ruled that he had a serious mental illness and needed to be admitted to the hospital** until he was back to a state ready for trial.
On May 17, 2022, Justin Lim, an Asian American student at Princeton University, committed suicide at home, and his family confirmed in an obituary that he had been suffering from anxiety disorders before his death, to the point of suffering from an eating disorder.
In March 2021, Yiyi Zhang, an international student at Emory University, passed away, and his father suggested that the child committed suicide in an article titled "To the D**e Classmates of Emory University".
In addition to regretting, these incidents have also sounded the alarm for more people and made people pay attentionPsychological problems of international students
Q
Why do international students have frequent psychological problems?
The University of California, Berkeley has released a survey and statistical report on the international student population, and the results of the report show that47% of PhD students and 37% of MSc students have some form of depressive symptoms;On average, one in 10 undergraduates has a severe tendency to be depressed
KnowYourself, a well-known psychology platform, once conducted a questionnaire survey on the mental health of international students.
The results showedThe top three causes of negative emotions or psychological distress for international students are academic, social and interpersonal relationships, and language barriers. In addition, financial problems, cultural environment, relationships with family members, and physical health are also stressful among many international students.
Xi pressure is the most common negative emotion among international students.
Part of this pressure comes from the fast pace of Xi in college, and at the same time being subjected to ".Spending a lot of money on tuition, you have to achieve something"The effects of this complex psychology.
On the one hand, they have to cope with high-intensity Xi, catch up with the library all night, and on the other hand, they have to worry about grades, professional prospects, future employment, and the cost of studying abroad, which is difficult for international students with little social experience to adjust their mentality.
In addition to academic challenges, international students often feel that they are also challengedDifficulty adjusting to new relationships or peer pressure
Even international students will be divided into small groups due to factors such as consumption patterns, lifestyle patterns, interests and hobbies, and it is not easy to establish a new circle of friends when they have not fully adapted to the changes in their living and Xi environment.
WhileLack of language skillsIt will lead to the impact of cultural differences and the temporary difficulty of international students to adapt to the changes in the living environment, and at the same time, it will also exacerbate the difficulty of socializing, and they will always feel left out in the face of foreign students, thus feeling insecure and belonging, and eventually depressing.
In addition to negative emotions and distress,Failure to pay attention to psychological problems and seek effective help in a timely mannerIt has also deepened the depression of many international students.
Influenced by culture and Xi, Asian students often do not pay enough attention to psychological problems and are less willing to seek psychological counseling.
An advisor at the University of Missouri's Student Health Center once said: "Asian international students are often shy about mental illness, are more likely to ignore mental health issues, and tend to have more depression. ”
A mental health survey report from Yale University also showedOf the 54 percent of international students who reported experiencing depression, only 9 percent chose or had sought professional help.
However, the examples of extreme endings remind us all the time that we must start from ourselves and start from the present to pay attention to the mental health problems of international students.
Q
How should international students deal with psychological problems?
First of all, we want to:Stay aware of your mood changes
It is best to develop some hobbies, maintain healthy Xi habits, and establish social relationships within your comfort zone. Don't suppress and hide your negative emotions and anxieties when you encounter problems, communicate more with family and friends to release your pressure.
If you already have mood swings, anorexia, insomnia, self-harm and other problems that seriously affect your quality of life, you must beBe brave enough to ask for help
The easiest way to do this is to get in touchMental health counseling services in schoolsUsually you can find the corresponding resources by searching for student well being or mental health counseling on the official website, and simple counseling is usually free of charge.
In addition to counseling services, mental health center will also provide psychological assessment, self-care courses, groups**, etc., and some international student universities will even provide Chinese counseling, which is very suitable for students who want to pay attention to their mental health but do not know where to start.
In addition to schools, there are someProfessional psychological counseling institutions。For example, at More Than Hugs, which was founded by Chinese, all counsellors can provide bilingual services in English and Chinese, and can provide assistance from the perspective of cultural identity and cultural belonging, which is very suitable for the needs of Chinese and international students.
You can also search some online platforms on your own, or check if your insurance has a cooperative psychological counseling agency, looking for more affordable counseling services for students.
The most important thing,Be sure to pay enough attention and attention to mental health, and don't be ashamed to discuss your heartFace up to the fact that psychological problems are a disease rather than your mistakes and weaknesses, and trust professional help.
But if you feel that the pressure of Xi is too much, you may also try to slow down the pace of Xi learning, and put some courses to complete during the winter and summer vacations, so as to reduce the usual study burden and give yourself enough time to find a healthy mental state.