The Issue Of Depression Among International Students

In the present scenario many students move to foreign countries to explore the knowledge and learn practical skills to achieve their life goals. During this period, they face some challenges that turn in to depression. The depression is a mental health illness that affect human behaviours negatively. The main indications of depression among the international students are lack of interest and happiness. This review is going to investigate that how depression effects the international students with cause effect and solutions to get rid from depression.

Cause of depression

Depression is a serious illness among students with many different causes for example culture shock, weak financial status, home sickness, language problems, lower inner satisfaction, obesity, lack of social support and isolation. Every country has their own culture, beliefs, moral values and language. It is essential that international student must learn the culture of a foreign country to survive there. Culture is helps to build relationships and enhance togetherness with people. The culture shock is the primary cause of depression among the new learners. In the culture shock students face challenges adjust their selves with the new people, culture and language that develop a feeling of anxiety, misconception about the new things. These all things lead to depression among the students.

The overseas students who has weak financial background they face the family as well as financial pressure that adversely affect them physically as well as psychologically. Apart from this, number of new learners belongs to rural areas and move to abroad they bear all expenses that cause of depression among them. A study conducted by Wechsler (2000) advocate that learners that affected by depression attain average marks than students who free from any kind of mental illness (depression). The depression is also developed in the students due to their marital status. The married students having more depression than unmarried students. The married students face stress of family pressure and their expenses (Inaba et al. ,2005). There is also age difference, where the older students feel ashamed and disrespect by the younger students. Language is an essential part of every nation. It is the way to make connections and express their own ideas and thoughts with other people (reef). International students face hardship due to lack of language knowledge they feel low and rejected by their peers. Some students adjust themselves according to the new environment and some are face difficulties tom speak language. Lack of language proficiency students feel homesickness and isolated in the new country and become the victim of depression.

The study satisfaction is also the reason of depression in the overseas students. Those students who has not been satisfy with their selection of course is become the reason of depression. The study of Anderson (2003) on depression is underline in their research that a student’s academic lower performances mainly due to depression. The reason behind the depression among the student’s poor concentration, poor interest and poor management skills that affects the students’ academic performances. The other case of depression is the body overweight. The students who have been affected by body overweight is affected with obesity and more depressed as compare to normal weight students (granberg…. ). The new learners also face trouble in making new connections with fellow mates. They unable to have any social support that leads to lower academic achievements. Students feel psychologically ill such as stress and depression.

The psychological depression is also occurred due to homesickness, isolation, low esteem and feeling of rejection as well. Apart from this, the students those are brilliant and having different abilities and skills before they enter foreign country they have many expectations of bright and prosperous career there, but face dissatisfaction, displeasure and sadness when they unable to beat with the present circumstances. The sense of inferiority develops among the students when they are not accepted by the other people. In this situation they face the problems of homesickness and loneliness (Sandhu, 1995). These are the things that makes students internally weak and take toward the stage of depression. Moreover, international students also face the discrimination that affect their self-respect and down their morale, they feel loneliness among other students.

Consequences of depression among international students

The depression has a negative effect on the graduates and undergraduate students physically as well as mentally. The students those affected by depression having a negative thought in their life and stop growing toward peaceful life. The Winkelman (1994) study concluded that the depression is a major concern among international students. The depression directly attacks human immune system. Students having poor immune system cannot survive in whether it is work place or educational institution.

At the work place students’ needs to utilize their physical strength, work hard to complete their given job and at the educational institution they need to use their psychological thinking to understand the academic task. With depression, students become victim of high blood pressure, unbalance sleep and appetite, high level of migraine pressure, h students unable to perform better at their work place and at the institution. The Winkelman (1994) study showed that students having poor concentration and less work efficiency due to depression. It badly effects the physical capabilities and they avoid doing any hard work because of fatigue and tiredness.

Apart from this, the depressed students trying to avoid stress and anxiety by taking excessive alcohol, smoking and dangerous drugs. Due to excessive alcohol they have poor concentration and decision-making ability. They even not able to think what is good and bad for them. The depression also breaks the healthy life cycle of students. They are not able to take enough sleep and sleep and having unhealthy diet as well as their body do not allowed to think better for their selves that leads their life toward sickness.