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Iman Ben Chaibah (UAE)

Founder, CEO, Editor-in-Chief
Sail Publishing and Sail Magazine

Topic: A study on mental health issues among UAE youth and to disseminate information on why and how to support people who suffer from mental illnesses.

A month ago, I completed my Rosalynn Carter Fellowship in Mental Health Journalism. It’s a fellowship program that was started by the Former First Lady of The United States Mrs. Rosalynn Carter about 20 years ago.

With all the awareness on mental health issues specifically for the youth, universities often ask what can they do to improve the mental health of their students. Different countries around the world have acted independently and created various legislations and programs that have worked for their needs.

A few days ago, I received an outpouring stream of heartbreaking responses on a video I shared about bullying in schools and its long-lasting effects. Although I suspected it was prevalent, I did not anticipate the frequency and severity of the situation.

Research has shown that the top 3 mental health problems suffered by university students are depression, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders. But what do those health problems really mean and what are their most known symptoms?

Walking through universities corridors during an exams period and noticing the students’ state of mind can be alarming, but it can also be unknowingly dismissed as a natural reaction to stress. I was recently told by one of the university students that there are often lots of cases of fainting, vomiting, and hospitalization during the exams period.