Pressure From Exams Are Surprisingly Leading Students To Self-Harm, Eating Disorders And Suicide, Teachers Say

A recent survey reported a huge escalation in the physical symptoms of stress and incidents that involve self-harm and thoughts of suicide. Teachers believe that exam stress and cyber bullying are to be blamed for the mental health issues of students.

More than 400 members of the Association of Teachers and Lecturer (ATL) answered the survey, 81 or 20 percent of which mentioned they were aware of students attempting suicide. Members also reported that 48 percent of students have inflicted harm upon themselves while 43 percent of the students are suffering from eating disorders.

Eighty-nine percent of staff members believe that testing and exams contributed too much of the stress experienced by children. Other contributions to a child's mental health include pressure to do well (70%), a fragmented life at home (68%) and an overcrowded curriculum (59%).

Some members mentioned that cyber bullying and their desire to be popular were the most common reasons for stress among their students. Children are extremely vulnerable to bullying due to the pervasive and intrusive culture of social media, according to Daily Mail.

A head teacher from Norfolk mentioned that mental health issues might be the biggest barriers to academic progress. Another school counselor from Warwickshire stressed that he was not surprised that children were getting increasingly mentally ill due to schools' assessment system and computer time.

Students' stress levels have increased mainly due to the government's concentration on exams, levels and grades. Students as young as six years old are becoming anxious about exams.

The one-size-fits-all approach to school and exams are believed to be failing many students, according to Dr. Mary Bousted, ATL general secretary. In addition, many children are under intense pressure to succeed due to the financial sacrifices made by their parents to put them into private schools, according to David Lloyd, head of Solihull School. Lloyd added that today's students are facing the worst pressure among generations.

Fortunately, the Department of Education is investing £1.5 million in peer support schemes in an effort to develop support networks in schools for children, according to Huffington Post. The money will also be used in trialing a scheme with NHS England for mental health support.