Breaking the Silence on Campus Mental Health
*By Fatima Musa Muhammad,*
The university environment, often seen as a hub of intellectual growth and ambition, has a hidden crisis that affects both students and lecturers alike. Beneath the pursuit of academic excellence, many struggle silently with anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders.
Despite the increasing prevalence of these conditions, mental health remains an overlooked issue within our institutions. For many students, the pressure to maintain high grades, secure a future in an unpredictable job market, and cope with financial struggles creates an overwhelming burden.
The fear of failure, coupled with the absence of adequate mental health support, drives some into depression and, in extreme cases, suicidal thoughts. A 2023 study on Nigerian university students revealed that nearly one in three reported symptoms of severe anxiety or depression.
Yet, mental health services in most universities remain underfunded or non-existent. Take one fictitious Halima, a 300-level student studying pharmacy. She spent months battling severe anxiety due to academic stress.
Sleepless nights, panic attacks before exams, and an overwhelming sense of self-doubt became her daily reality. She tried to talk to someone in the school clinic but was told to pray about it and focus on her studies.
With no professional help available, she suffered in silence, barely making it through her courses. While much attention is given to students, lecturers too are battling their own demons.
The demand to publish research, handle heavy workloads, and meet administrative expectations has led to chronic stress and burnout. Some develop depression, anxiety, and in severe cases, high blood pressure or heart-related illnesses due to unrelenting pressure.
One non-existing Dr. Yusuf, a senior lecturer in a Nigerian university, had a mental breakdown last year. Juggling multiple responsibilities from supervising postgraduate students to managing endless bureaucratic expectations took a toll on his mental well-being.
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He said that lecturers are expected to perform miracles with little to no institutional support. By the time he realized he was mentally exhausted, he had already lost control.
Many lecturers like Dr. Yusuf suffer in silence because mental health struggles are often perceived as a sign of weakness, especially among professionals. Despite growing awareness of mental health disorders, Nigerian universities lack structured systems to support those affected.
Most institutions do not have dedicated counseling centers, and where they exist, they are understaffed and underfunded. The stigma surrounding mental illness further discourages students and lecturers from seeking help.
Instead of receiving professional support, they are often met with religious or cultural dismissals, being told to pray harder or be strong. If Nigerian universities are truly committed to academic excellence, they must prioritize the well-being of their students and lecturers.
This includes establishing mental health centers in all universities with trained psychologists and therapists available for students and staff. Mental health education should be integrated into the curriculum to help students and lecturers recognize early signs of distress.
Open conversations about mental health should be encouraged to break the stigma surrounding it. Universities should also provide stress management programs and reduce excessive workload for lecturers.
Creating confidential helplines for those battling severe mental health disorders is also crucial. Mental health disorders in academia are not a sign of weakness but a reality that must be addressed.
Universities should be places of both intellectual and emotional support, where students and lecturers feel safe to seek help without fear of judgment. Until this happens, many will continue to suffer in silence, unable to reach their full potential in an environment that demands excellence but neglects well-being.
Fatima Musa Muhammad is a 200-level Mass Communication student of MAAUN. She can be reached via: [email protected].
