Under Pressure: How Stress is Quietly Wrecking your Mental Health

Marvellous Olajide

You wake up to the sound of your hostel neighbour blasting Afrobeats at 6am. Your phone is on 1% battery, there is no light, and you have an 8am test you didn’t study for. As you rush through a cold bath, trying to breath amidst the foul odour coming from the bathroom, you wonder for the hundredth time: “How did I get here?”
For many Nigerian students, stress is not a one-time event—it is a lifestyle.

We joke about it. We post “God abeg” on our WhatsApp status every time school work piles up. We laugh when someone says they cried after seeing their result. But behind all the banter is a hard truth: Stress is silently damaging our mental health.

What is Stress, Really?
Stress is your body’s response to pressure. A little bit of it can motivate you to study or meet a deadline. But when it becomes constant—when your brain never gets to rest—that is when it turns toxic. You might say “oh I work well under pressure ” or “if the test is not few hours away, I won’t be able to read” all these are results of stress and constantly subjecting yourself to these things is bad.

As a student, you’re juggling academics, family expectations, relationships, finances, and often poor living conditions. That’s not “normal stress”—that’s chronic stress, and it has real consequences.
Signs You’re Too Stressed (and Don’t Know It). Stress doesn’t always show up as panic attacks or tears. Sometimes it looks like:
-Constant fatigue, even after sleeping
-Frequent headaches or stomach upsets
-Irritability—you are always angry or frustrated
-Forgetfulness or lack of concentration
-Withdrawing from people or losing interest in things
-Overeating, undereating, or bingeing on junk food
If you have been experiencing two or more of these for a while, that is not just “school wahala”—that is your body waving a red flag.

How Stress Affects Your Mental Health
1. It Increases Anxiety and Depression
Stress messes with your brain chemicals. You may find yourself worrying endlessly about the future or feeling hopeless even after doing well. That constant “I’m not enough” feeling? It’s not just you being dramatic—it is how prolonged stress rewires your brain.
2. It Affects Sleep (and Then Everything Else)
Many students stay up late to “crash read” or cram. But poor sleep affects memory, mood, and emotional balance. You start making more mistakes, forgetting things, and feeling more overwhelmed.
3. It Worsens Physical Health
Stress lowers your immune system. That’s why during exam season, you’re more likely to catch a cold, get headaches, or fall ill. Your mind and body are connected—and stress attacks both.
But I Cannot Drop Out, So What Can I Do?
True, you can’t leave school because of stress. But you can learn to manage it in small, realistic ways.
1. Create Your Calm Corner
Even in a noisy hostel, you can find peace. Use earphones, a curtain, or even just five quiet minutes outside. Take deep breaths. Journal. Pray. Meditate. Whatever helps you reset.

2. Prioritise, Don’t Overload
You don’t have to be in every group, volunteer team, or WhatsApp committee. Choose your focus. Learn to say “No” without guilt. Your mental health is not a badge of endurance.

3. Eat Better, Even in Bits
A diet of garri and noodles won’t help your mood. Add fruits, groundnuts, beans, eggs—cheap, nutritious options. Your brain needs fuel to function well.

4. Stay Connected
Don’t isolate. Talk to friends, roommates, siblings. Even one trusted person who listens without judgement can make a big difference.

5. Seek Help (It is Not Madness)
If you’re constantly overwhelmed, consider speaking to a school counselor, mentor, or even a mental health support group. Therapy isn’t just for people “running mad.” It’s for anyone who wants to feel better.

You are Not Lazy or Weak—You are Human
Too many students blame themselves: “I should be stronger,” or “Other people have it worse.” But your stress is valid. Your struggle is real.

Academic pressure, lack of power and water, poor food, strikes, insecurity—these are not small things. You’re dealing with more than most people your age in other parts of the world. So give yourself grace.
Taking care of your mental health isn’t luxury or indulgence—it is survival. And sometimes, survival looks like sleeping early, calling a friend, taking a break, visiting your favourite ice cream spot or just saying: “Today, I choose peace.”