College time turns out to be pretty challenging. Even though you start your college time with enthusiasm, big changes are happening that may affect you. Moving to a different city, going away from family, immersing in a new culture if you are studying abroad. All these happen to all college students, and even though it is a nice experience, it can be tumultuous. Each student develops their own coping mechanisms so that they can adapt to a new reality full of emotions.
Students are vulnerable to developing mental health issues, especially if they do not know how to cope with the changes in the new reality. Stress, depression, and anxiety are the most met mental health issues, but many students develop eating disorders too. So, what makes some students more vulnerable to developing these eating disorders?
Eating Disorders
College students are vulnerable to developing mental health issues during their education years as they go through a lot of changes. Surveys estimate that about 20% of female students and about 10% of male students do have an eating disorder. Some of the most met ones are anorexia and bulimia. More and more college students have symptoms of an eating disorder and this puts a toll on their mental and physical health. To be a student in college means you have to attend classes, take care of your assignments, write essays, and study for exams. Getting an education is an enlightening and empowering experience that opens new doors for everyone.
However, it sometimes becomes an overwhelming experience and the stress associated with it puts a toll on students’ health. It is a topic that begins to be studied and discussed within educational centers and universities. As a psychology student, you might have to write an essay or work on a project on the topic of eating disorders. So, if you are looking for ideas for eating disorder college essay, you can get the help of expert writers. They can suggest a few themes to start with and explore, but also tips and tricks on how to better express your point of view. The topic of eating disorders is a challenging one, but it can help students understand the causes and effects of these disorders. Any college student should learn about mental health and the disorders that could develop within themselves during their study years. This way, they can find and apply solutions for themselves, and also help their friends and colleagues who might develop an eating disorder.
Gender-Minority Students
If you were wondering why some students are developing eating disorders while others are not, you should know that some of them are more vulnerable. A group of students who are vulnerable and prone to developing eating disorders is the gender-minority group of students. Even though educational institutions try to create an inclusive and diverse learning environment, things do not always go according to plan.
Over 15% of transgender individuals have been diagnosed with an eating disorder, and many of them are using dieting pills. Gender-minority students are prone to developing this kind of disorder as they struggle to fit into the role and look at the gender they identify themselves with.
We all know that society is constraining and putting pressure on the way we look. At the same time, transgender students might not feel accepted by their peers, and they might feel judged, and this makes negative emotions grow within them. So, they might indulge in eating or purging behaviors as a way to cope with all these intense feelings.
Athlete Students
Another category of students vulnerable to developing eating disorders is the group of athlete students. This might be due to the fact that there is a great emphasis on their body shape and weight. They feel the pressure to conform to the rules of the sport, so they are especially vulnerable to developing eating disorders. As many of them have to cope with the same pressure, it might be the case that having an eating disorder as an athlete is seen as normal and natural.
Final Thoughts
College time is fun and entertaining. But it can also be challenging and overwhelming. Each student develops their own coping mechanisms. And while some of them are healthy, many are not. Developing eating disorders is now more prevalent than before in the case of college students. Some of them are especially vulnerable to this, such as gender-minority students or athletes.
There is constant pressure from society, coaches, and people around to conform to norms and rules. And this pressure might grow and develop into a mental health disorder. More and more youngsters develop mental health disorders, so it is essential to draw attention to this topic and talk about it more.
Bio lines: Percy J. Bunnell is a copywriter and blogger. His passion is psychology and studying how the human mind works. Percy loves reading self-development books and writing psychology articles.