Danger Signals Lurking in the Minds of University Students: Is "I'm Attending Classes, So I'm Fine" a Red Flag? The Mental SOS University Students Often Overlook

Attend classes. Submit reports by the deadline. Work part-time with a smile and respond to messages from friends.

Living such a daily life might make you seem like someone who is "normally enjoying college life" to those around you.

However, as soon as you get home, you become unable to do anything. Even though you want to sleep, the plans for tomorrow keep spinning in your head. You no longer feel excited about music or games that you used to enjoy.

The appearance of a maintained lifestyle from the outside does not necessarily mean that the person is living without strain.

An article published in the student media "Daily Sundial" at California State University, Northridge, addressed the issue of college students struggling with stress and losing the timing to seek support.

However, this article is not regular reporting by the editorial team but an advertisement content produced by an external advertising partner. While the issue raised is worth considering, it is also necessary to be cautious about taking medical explanations or guidance to specific facilities at face value.

When considering Japanese college life, it is more important to think about "what changes would make it better to organize the situation with someone" rather than "how much can you endure."

Hidden Distress Behind the Hardworking Appearance

In college life, there are situations where pushing oneself is evaluated as effort.

If you finish an assignment overnight, you are told, "You worked hard." If you pack your schedule with classes and part-time jobs, you are seen as "fulfilled." If your schedule is filled with job hunting activities, it becomes difficult for you to pause.

Of course, having busy periods in itself does not mean illness.

What should be noted is what you are continuously cutting back on to maintain that lifestyle. If your sleep, meals, and social interactions are disrupted, and the distress doesn't go away even after resting, it's better not to downplay the discomfort just because "you can still submit assignments."

When considering Japanese students, it's necessary to take into account not only academics but also living expenses, commuting, family circumstances, and anxiety about future paths. There are burdens that cannot be solved by the individual's time management alone.

In addition to "Are you able to attend classes?" asking "How exhausted are you after classes?" might reveal problems that were not visible before.

There's No Need to Clearly Distinguish Between Stress and Anxiety

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) explains stress as the body's and mind's response to external causes such as challenges or illnesses. These causes can be temporary or recurring over a long period.

On the other hand, anxiety can occur even without an imminent threat. It shares symptoms with stress, such as worry, tension, and sleep disturbances.

It's not uncommon to feel nervous before an exam. However, if strong anxiety continues after the exam, if you avoid going out or attending classes due to worry, or if it interferes with daily life, it becomes a reason to consider seeking consultation.

What's necessary here is not to diagnose yourself as "this is stress" or "this is anxiety disorder."

It's about confirming with a professional the specific changes, such as how long it's been going on, how severe it is, and what's happening in your life.

Just because you know the cause doesn't mean it's light, and just because it can't be explained doesn't mean it's imaginary.

"Two Weeks" Is Not a Deadline for Endurance

A feeling of depression cannot be judged simply by "not feeling energetic."

The WHO lists symptoms of depression such as a depressed mood, decreased interest and pleasure, along with decreased concentration, changes in sleep or appetite, and severe fatigue. It explains that in depressive episodes, symptoms persist for most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks.

However, this does not mean "you must not consult until two weeks have passed."

If the distress is strong even for a short period, if life becomes unsustainable, or if there are concerns about your safety, there is no need to wait. Also, just because it has lasted for two weeks does not mean you can self-diagnose as having depression.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare also guides that if the state of feeling down or unable to enjoy things continues, and you can no longer do what you used to be able to do, you should consult without holding it alone.

To aid in consultation, it might be helpful to note changes such as the following:

• Changes in sleep, such as being unable to sleep or waking up in the middle of the night
• Loss of appetite or significant changes in eating habits
• No longer enjoying things you used to like
• Difficulty concentrating, hindering assignments or daily tasks
• Avoiding people or places due to anxiety

This is not a diagnostic checklist but a clue to convey "the recent you."

The Feeling of "Only I Can't Keep Up" on Social Media

There are posts on social media and forums discussing the burdens of college life.

The following is not a direct response to the original article but a summary of past public posts on Reddit dealing with the same theme. It does not represent the overall trend of Japanese students.

One post expressed bewilderment at being overwhelmed by multiple assignments in a week and upcoming exams, while other students seemed unfazed.

Another post raised the issue of many posts in student communities expressing loneliness, anxiety, and harsh self-evaluation, and suggested the need for enhanced university counseling and support resources.

From these two voices, what we want to consider is the overlap of personal distress with comparisons like "others seem fine" and dissatisfaction with the support environment.

The lives of others visible on social media are only a part of them. You can't know how much fatigue or anxiety is behind the report of completing a submission.

While it can be reassuring to hear personal experiences, you cannot decide on a diagnosis or treatment just by matching with posts. The place to gain empathy and the place to determine the support you need have different roles.

Where to Consult First in Japan

If you are a student, you can start by checking the guidance of the student counseling office or health center at your university.

The method of making appointments, the target of consultation, costs, usage frequency, and cooperation with external medical institutions vary by university. You don't need to understand the entire system from the start, and you can inquire about "which window you can consult about your current problems."

It doesn't matter if the content you convey is not well organized.

"I attend classes, but I can't do anything once I get home."

"I can't sleep recently and can't concentrate on assignments."

"I want to consult because I'm not sure if I should go to the hospital."

You can start talking about what's happening in your life like this.

If it's difficult to talk within the university or if you can't connect to the university's window, options include local health centers, health centers, and mental health welfare centers. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare guides that you can use public consultation windows even when you're unsure about visiting a medical institution.

You don't need to conclude "whether it's a problem worth consulting" before going. You can consult, including that hesitation.

Consulting About Mental Health and Reducing Life's Burdens Together

If the background of distress includes burdens like tuition, living expenses, a packed course load, part-time jobs, or job hunting, support for those issues is also necessary.

For example, while organizing your mental and physical state at the student counseling office, you can inquire about economic systems at the student support window or confirm course registration and procedures at the academic affairs window.

The systems and conditions available differ by university, but there's no need to rely solely on "having a strong mind" for a solution.

Even if you want to secure time to sleep, you can't pay rent if you reduce work. Even if you want to rest, you don't know the impact on credits or graduation. If such circumstances exist, consultation to adjust real conditions is essential along with the recommendation to rest.

Those around you can also make it easier to connect to specific help by not only saying "just rest" but also asking "what's making it difficult to rest?"

Early Consultation Is Important, But It's Not Too Late If You're Late

The original article contains a description that can be interpreted as treatment being effective only in the early stages of the problem. This point needs correction.

The WHO clearly states that there are effective treatments for mild, moderate, and severe depression. The importance of connecting to support at an early stage and the availability of treatment options for long-lasting symptoms coexist.

There's no need to think, "It's meaningless because I've left it for months."

Also, not everything will be resolved on the day of consultation. The role of consultation includes connecting to the next support, such as being referred to a medical institution if necessary or discussing how to spend time until an appointment.

Even if you couldn't talk enough at the first window, it doesn't mean the entire support is useless.

"There Are People Who Are More Distressed" Is Not a Reason to Stop Consulting

There are people who are having a harder time than you. You haven't missed any classes yet. You can smile in front of your friends.

Even with such facts, the current distress doesn't disappear.

You don't need proof of suffering to the limit to receive consultation. You can confirm the feeling of "life has become more difficult than before" or "it's hard to continue like this" with someone.

If it's difficult to talk on the phone, you can also find consultation options via LINE or chat from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's "Mamoro yo Kokoro."

If there's an imminent danger, such as being unable to ensure your safety or harming yourself, please seek help from 119 or someone close without waiting for a regular consultation appointment. The "Inochi SOS" line, where you can talk about feelings like "I want to die" or "I want to disappear," is available 24/7 for free at 0120-061-338.

"Recently, I've been feeling a bit down." You can start consulting from those words.

Sources and References

1. Daily Sundial:
   An advertisement content addressing the issue of college students hesitating to consult while experiencing distress. It is clearly stated that the editorial team is not involved in its production.
   https://sundial.csun.edu/223114/sundialbrandstudio/sundial-marketplace/when-stress-becomes-something-more-what-college-students-need-to-know-about-mental-health/

2. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): Differences between stress and anxiety, guidelines for considering consulting a professional.
   https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/so-stressed-out-fact-sheet National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

3. WHO: Symptoms of depression, duration, and treatment according to severity.
   Used to verify the original article's statement that "treatment is only effective in the early stages."
   https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression who.int

4. Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare "Let's Maintain Our Mental Health": Changes in mood and changes to connect to consultation.
   https://www.mhlw.go.jp/kokoro/youth/stress/sos/sos_02.html mhlw.go.jp

5. Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: About local public consultation windows.
   Guidance on health centers and mental health welfare centers that can be used when unsure about visiting a medical institution.
   https://www.mhlw.go.jp/kokoro/youth/consultation/window/index.html mhlw.go.jp

6. Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare "Mamoro yo Kokoro": Consultation options via phone, SNS, and chat.
   Also confirms the phone number and reception hours for "Inochi SOS."
   https://www.mhlw.go.jp/mamorouyokokoro/ mhlw.go.jp

7. Reddit: Posts from students overwhelmed by assignments and exams, comparing themselves to others.
   Not a response to the original article, but a summary of publicly available parts found through search as related experiences.
   https://www.reddit.com/r/college/comments/y22ez6/ ##HTML_TAG_