A reader asks: I am a Grade 10 student. I feel very tired when I study. Sometimes, I feel drowsy, tension and stress, all in one. When I get a question that I can’t answer, then I feel so depressed. Please can you help me out.
Dr Saliha Afridi (Clinical Psychologist, Director, The LightHouse Arabia, Dubai) replies: There are many reasons you could be feeling drowsy, tired and discouraged while you study:
- 1. Are you studying at the right time of the day for you? Some of us function better during the morning, whereas others are night owls, you have to figure out what time is good for you.
- 2. Are you engaged with the subject? Perhaps it is a subject that is uninteresting to you. It's important that you take note of that and then try to find creative ways to make it more interesting (i.e. writing a song about human biology; drawing charts to remember key facts etc).
- 3. Is your body healthy? Are you sleeping enough, eating a balanced diet and exercising? It is critical that during stressful periods of academics that you pay even more attention to keeping your body healthy.
- 4. Are you feeling like you have low energy and feeling depressed all the time or is it school related? If you find yourself feeling depressed most of the day, or having low energy, and low motivation - along with a host of other symptoms such as disturbance in sleep, changes in appetite and you are unable to enjoy the things you used to enjoy, then it could be that you are suffering from a bout of depression. I would recommend consulting with a mental-health professional for a full assessment.
- 5. Are you being too critical of yourself? It isn't helpful for the learning process if you are hard on yourself for every answer you don't know. Instead, be patient with yourself as you get mastery of the subject and ask for help if you need.
Disclaimer: This blog is a conversation and is not an alternative for treatment. The recommendations and suggestions offered by our panel of psychiatrists are their own and Gulf News will not take any responsibility for the advice they provide.
