Mental health disorder is a behavioral or mental pattern which causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. It is also called as mental illness or psychiatric disorder. There are nearly 300 mental disorders listed in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder). Specifically, there are mental health disorders occurring in university student environment, such as:
1. Anxiety Disorder, a group of mental disorders characterized by significant feelings of anxiety and fear. Anxiety is a worry about future events, and fear is a reaction to current events. These feelings may cause physical symptoms, such as fast heart and shakiness. For example, being worry about straightforward, and immediate matters such as the academic performance, safety of the classroom, and fitting in or being liked.
2. Eating Disorder, a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating habits that negatively affect a person's physical or mental health. They include binge eating disorder, where people eat a large amount in a short period of time called as Anorexia nervosa. Besides, when people eat very little due to a fear of gaining weight and thus have a low body weight is called Bulimia Nervosa.
According to research (Thistle, 1995) revealed that the sources of stress faced by university students, such as academic stress, family problems, financial problems, problems in friendship, traumatic events, having untreated mental disorders, self immaturity, substance abuse, personal problems, lack of life skill (Davidson & Locked, 2011). Another side, a factor influencing a university students' mental health is a change in the environment. Changes in the environment from high school to tertiary education require university students' adaptability. University students are required to have life skills for challenging various challenges during their lectures. University students who are less capable to adapt have a potential to experience obstacles in undergoing the lecture process and ultimately affect their mental state.
Ironically, there have been a number of suicides committed by university students over the past few years which have always been in the public spotlight. In this case, campus institution can influence mental health conditions by promoting mental health programs such as self-management training and campaigns mental health to eliminate negative stigma for people who have mental health. On the other hand, the campus can also provide program designs for lectures, staff, and other campus elements who interact closely with a university students, such as self-management and conflict management. By this, all elements of campus can identify unviversity students who need health assistance mentally.
To sum up, mental health disorder is abehavioral or mental pattern which causes significant distress. There are three common mental health disorders occurring in university student environment, such as anxiety disorder, and eating disorder. Other causes of mental health disorder are financial problem, family problem, or self maturity. Yet, university student can avoid these mental health disorders by getting some health programs, such as self-management and conflict management provided by lecturers, staff, or other campus elements. However, health does not always come from medicine. Most of the time, it comes from the peace of mind, heart, and soul.
