A Survey on High School Students’ Perception of Depression and Anxiety

Abstract

In the Philippines, one in five people suffers from a mental health problem. In a country with a population of 100 million, there are presently only 700 psychiatrists and a thousand psychiatric nurses (Magtubo, 2016). The World Health Organization estimated that globally, over 450 million people suffer from mental disorders. Currently, mental and behavioral disorders account for about 12% of the global burden of diseases. The study aims to determine the high school students' perception of mental health problems, specifically depression and anxiety. The researchers also assessed the extent of the knowledge of high school students toward the topic. The researchers believe that mental health plays a massive role in a student's well-being. Therefore, their perception and knowledge of the matter are crucial. The study utilized a descriptive research design. It was conducted in St. Mary's College Quezon City, with 383 total respondents surveyed from grades 7-12. The leading cause of depression as perceived by students is stress, followed by family conflict, followed by the school. The most common symptom of depression is lack of energy followed by both less sociability and change in attitude at a tie, then a change in sleeping pattern. The leading effect of depression is suicidal tendencies, followed by self-harming, followed by lack of motivation. The leading cause of anxiety as perceived by students is stress, followed by school, and the environment. The prominent symptom of anxiety is fear, accompanied by discomfort, and uneasiness. The leading effect of anxiety as perceived by students is depression, followed by social phobia, and powerlessness. The leading source of understanding depression is social media, followed by school, peers, and family. The leading cause of understanding anxiety is social media, followed by the school, peers, family, and others.