ALMOST half of students studying online have shown symptoms of depression, ranging from mild to severe, a recent survey showed.

According to the Digi survey, which was released on January 3, 44% of 1,746 students aged below 21 said they had depression.

Forty-eight per cent of students polled said they were “normal”.

The report added that registered psychological counsellors interviewed also revealed that they have had more secondary school and college students seeking help since online classes began during the Covid-19 epidemic.

Psychotherapist Tan Chee Seng told The Malaysian Insight that teenagers were more likely to suffer from depression compared with adults as they were undergoing hormonal changes. 

As a result of the lack of physical interaction with others, the teenagers were more likely to suffer from bouts of depression. 

“Although there are people in the online class, for them, it is actually empty, like facing an object. In this case, they are easily depressed, and it naturally becomes a hotbed for depression and anxiety.” 

In addition, he said children with depression have no obvious symptoms, but are often lethargic as their lives have changed drastically. 

“Most parents are not aware of this (depression), and they may regard these symptoms as their children’s rebellious addiction to the internet, shutting themselves in the room, or even thinking that their children live well at home and will not suffer from depression.”

He said that the problem was made worse later after the parents’ discovery. 

Registered counsellor Benson Lim said that the teenagers would suffer from insomnia and think about suicide in severe cases. 

However, Lim said from his experience, he has observed that many parents were too worried about whether their children have depression or other mental illnesses. 

“It’s just that in Malaysian culture, parents may turn to religion for the first time. I suggest that if (parents) try for five days and the child doesn’t get better, they must seek a therapist for diagnosis or counselling.” 

He said that in the past two years, he has received many requests for help from secondary school and college students. 

“Recently, a college student asked me for help. He had good grades but was very disappointed. The reason was that he originally thought that university life would be colourful, but all of his classmates chose online courses. 

“He used to think that he could add value to his life by joining clubs or something else but now his life is limited to just studies.” 

Lim was careful to distinguish between being depressed and having depression.

“For example, if a person is feeling low, it may be because of a recent death of a relative, or because of a relationship. Thinking of it, he will feel depressed or cry. But I can’t define the other person as depressed because of this behaviour. 

“Depression has to be more than two weeks, sitting there and still shedding tears, not thinking about things and still shedding tears, and not wanting to go out for work, friends and classes.

“The key here is that they feel worthless.”

Strained family ties a factor

Kuching Bodhi Counselling counsellor Sim Chia Wei said they have seen more cases since Covid-19 broke out began in 2020. 

“What I’ve observed, however, is that online classes is only one factor that contributes to depression. Students are also affected by other issues, such as relationships and relationships with parents. 

“Especially with parents. During the epidemic, more of these teenagers were spending time with family but this did not mean improved relationships. Many times, this was a cause for additional stress,” he said. 

He said that it was very important to note whether communication between parents and children was one-way or two-way. This will affect their ability to adapt upon returning to school, as well as how they express it to their parents.

“This can make children feel uneasy and stressed, increase negative emotions, and if not dealt with properly, may also indirectly lead to depression in the long run.” 

When asked how parents can reduce the likelihood of depression, Tan Chee Seng said that good communication is necessary for their mental wellbeing.

“Parents should face up to the problem, because teenagers have weak self-control and need their parents to assist in control.

“They need their parents to force them to go out to do other activities, such as playing ball and chatting, pulling them out of the online world.” 

Lim believes that teachers can also play a pivotal role in this issue.

He suggested that lessons be less academic and homework-oriented, so that children and classmates can get to know each other and maintain interpersonal relationships. 

“Teachers may also wish to pay attention to any child who becomes out of control or angry in the classroom, and can learn more about it and help the child get out of the predicament.” 

The survey, titled Children’s Lives Online under the Pandemic: Values and Challenges, was conducted from August to September last year. – January 20, 2022.