South Korea had the highest suicide rate of any OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) member country in 2017 due to the fact that about 1 in 4 people there had a mental illness, but only 1 in 10 of them received treatment. Ninety-five percent of South Koreans say they are stressed out, and the elderly have startlingly high rates of depression. The outcome is a serious nationwide epidemic that, over the previous 20 years, has only gotten worse every year. About forty South Koreans take their own lives each day.
Nevertheless, there is a national mental health crisis in South Korea, a problem that is frequently ignored and barely mentioned. Many South Koreans characterize conversations on mental health as taboo, a deeply ingrained belief that renders the awareness and advocacy of mental health issues by South Korean doctors essentially futile. In actual life, this is demonstrated by the fact that just 20% of South Koreans who are depressed seek mental health treatment, and about 75% of the country’s senior population believes that mental illness in general, including depression, is a sign of weakness.
Although there are many factors contributing to this issue, many see the South Korean work-life and family culture as being particularly stressful and competitive. Even before the pandemic, young people in particular faced a significant housing shortage in and around Seoul, the country’s capital, and an unemployment rate that was three times greater than the national average. A devastating wave of financial despair has been worsened by this crisis, which has caused nearly 40% of young people to give up looking for work. This has also made mental health difficulties worse. These trends, together with the nation’s rising alcohol use rates, have created a highly stressed social milieu that may be detrimental to South Koreans’ mental health as a whole.
Higher rates of emigration and political polarization have resulted from the nation’s mental health problem, which has also contributed to a severe sense of stress and cynicism among the youth of the country. Many of them frequently express feeling disillusioned with the future. In turn, these elements have brought South Korean society to a brink of darkness that is mainly concealed from the outside world’s view of the nation.
When analyzing the situation at universities like GIST, the situation is no better. Let’s start with the factors that contribute to the deteriorating mental health of students. Gist, compared to other universities, offers significantly low credits for language courses, resulting in students having to make courses to fulfill the credit requirements. This implies that students are bombarded by assignments, quizzes, and the ever-rising pressure of rapidly approaching exams. Consequently, every hour is significant to being able to devote enough time to each subject in order to get the desired grade. In most classes, students are neck-to-neck against other incredibly smart and hard-working students to attain a good grade. These factors are a significant contributor to the students stress. Besides the academic load, students are also expected to participate in extracurricular activities to build up their resume and experience and prepare them to acquire a complete arsenal of a diverse skill set. These activities can range anywhere from lighthearted clubs to demanding internships or startups.
Students feel the pressure of taking on as many challenges as possible to possibly avoid feeling left behind in this race. This means that students have little to no time to spare. Either sleep, self-care, or inter-social relationships end up getting compromised. Gist students often joke among themselves about who gets the least sleep. According to a survey, an alarming 78% of the students reported sleeping less than 6 hours. This not only reduces cognitive function and productivity but can also have lasting effects on your mental health. 36% of the students reported having no social life at all. For a holistic education, the ability to form connections with others holds great significance. Both sleep and social support systems are very important for students’ mental health.
While GIST has some support systems in place to aid the students in taking care of their mental health, it still leaves much to be desired. While GIST holds social events around two times per semester, it is easy to notice that the turnout of students attending the events is quite low. Most students feel more pressured to stay in their rooms or the library to finish the work they are assigned. Many students report feeling helpless because they cannot even join the festivities that are meant for them.
The general attitude at GIST regarding mental health is not that positive. The available facilities are also rather lacking. Compared to the large student population, the counseling center is rather small, has poor accessibility for undergraduate students, and is rather understaffed. At a time, only one counselor is available. There are no awareness campaigns or programs to help the students manage stress. Among the students, talking about mental health is still considered taboo and is often taken as a sign of weakness or falling behind in life. There are absolutely no measures taken to break this taboo or normalize the existence of mental disorders among students, making it harder for students who are suffering to reach out for help. Due to the existing taboos, students can be reluctant to consider getting help or encourage others to also seek counseling due to the shame attached to receiving counseling. While not all students uphold such taboos and shame, it is undeniable that the majority still feels that way.
The situation is even more rough for international students. Being away from home in a completely new environment straight out of high school can be very stressful at times, and resources that can aid in the management of stress and anxiety are paramount to maintaining good mental health. With that being established, it is rather shocking that every single international student that has reached out to the counseling center has been told to come back later over and over again and then eventually denied help due to the lack of counselors who can speak English.
It is evident that GIST has some mechanisms in place to help manage the mental health of students, but there is still a long way to go. From the collected data, many students suggested opening a counselor office on the second floor of the undergraduate school with timings after 6 p.m. so it is easily accessible. Secondly, mental health checkups should be made mandatory at least twice a semester so that students can receive timely help if needed. An English-speaking counselor should be made available for the international students at GIST. Lastly, to prove the general attitude towards mental health, GIST awareness campaigns should be run that encourage people to freely talk about mental health and encourage the stigma around it to dissipate.
In moving forward, it is imperative for GIST and similar institutions to prioritize mental health as a fundamental aspect of student well-being. Implementing the suggested measures, fostering a supportive culture, and challenging societal norms can pave the way for a healthier and more inclusive educational environment. By acknowledging and addressing the mental health challenges faced by students, GIST has the opportunity to lead the charge in promoting a positive and nurturing atmosphere for its academic community.