Mental health is essential

By Joshua Corcuera

Some people spend too much time on studying or working to the extent that it is no longer healthy, mentally speaking at least. So much so that the benefits seem to be not worthy as compared to the sacrifices made in relation to such.

As we can see in society, there are a lot of hardworking and persevering students and workers who commit or dedicate a huge amount of time and effort towards their studies and duties. Personally, I am a witness of how diligent some of my blockmates and schoolmates are. I have some classmates who came from as far as Naic in the province of Cavite and commute four days in a week to the heart of Manila just to attend classes. The travel commute usually takes two to three hours and is quite costly.

Further, the exhaustion, inconvenience, and hassle of commuting is real, but a lot of students, and even workers, constantly struggle in such difficult circumstances just to study and work. Why? Because they aspire to finish their studies, they try to make ends meet, and they have high hopes of the future for themselves and their families.

Definitely, the hardwork and sense of responsibility of such individuals are inspiring and commendable. But, of course, it is important to ask them regarding their well-being. This is because working or studying too much comes with a cost. There is no doubt that spending too much time and effort on academics can be mentally draining, and the risk of too much stress is real. This is why it is essential to remind ourselves, and our friends, to have some rest every now and then.

Much worse, it cannot be denied that we hear some students claiming their own lives due to academic pressure and similar causes. This is why many schools have opened guidance and counseling offices to help their students who are currently dealing with mental health issues, which I believe is a necessity since our well-being is not restricted merely to the physical aspect, but also includes our mental health.

Likewise, it is important to listen to our friends, classmates, and help them with their struggles and the pressure that they are currently dealing with. Meanwhile, to ourselves, let us be aware that personal growth is not merely having good grades, but also being healthy in other aspects, physically, mentally, socially, spiritually, and so forth.

If you have a friend or you know someone who is currently at a rough patch, remember that it costs nothing to be a kind and compassionate individual who is willing to listen to the struggles of others.