Mental health is the foundation of academic excellence, says Nwachukwu.
A Counsellor from the Directorate of Counselling, Human Development and Career Centre (DCHDCC), Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Mrs. B.O Nwachukwu has described good mental health as the foundation of academic excellence.
She made the remarks during the opening ceremony of an online seminar organized by the DCHDCC, which started on Wednesday July 22, and ended on Friday July 24, 2026.
Speaking during the seminar, Nwachukwu said “Mental health is a state of wellbeing in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”.
According to her, mental health also influences how we think, feel, make decisions, handle stress, anxiety, depression, examination anxiety, substance abuse, social isolation etc.
In her words: “ University life can be so exciting, but it also comes with many challenges, such as academic pressure, financial difficulties, family problems, peer pressure, low self-esteem, social media comparison, relationship issues, loneliness, and uncertainty about the future, noting that if these challenges are not managed well, they may affect our mental health”.
While charging the students on importance of mental health, the Counsellor also itemized the common symptoms of mental health which includes: persistent sadness, excessive fear/worry, difficulty in concentrating, changes in sleeping or eating habits, thought of self-harm, loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed, withdrawal from friends and family, and feeling hopeless or overwhelmed.
Also in her lecture, she took students through way out or solutions to mental health problems, which are: Getting enough sleep, eating healthy meals, engaging in exercise regularly, management of time wisely, building healthy friendships etc.
Nwachukwu advised students to visit DCHDCC regularly where they can interact with competent and qualified professional Counsellors. She said the Directorate is always open from Monday to Friday, between 9:00am and 3:00pm.
The highly educated on-line seminar also featured participation of counsellor representatives from five faculties in the University which included Faculty of Arts, Education, Science, Social Sciences and Management as well as Vocational and Technical Education.
They were Mr. Akinmurele W. J and Mrs. Oladoye O.O, Mrs. Oyelaran M.A, Miss Agboola E. O, Mrs. Akindele O.K, Mrs. Akinkunmi A.M and Mrs. Akintunde O.A.
