Why are many students experiencing psychological problems now?

Observing young men with mental issues: they have no money in their pockets, no plans for the future, but they don’t feel defeated or listless. A few gather to ride electric bikes happily and go out to play. They get beaten up, covered in blood, shouting brothers, next time we’ll come back stronger. The wounds haven’t healed, but they start every day with a smile, full of energy.
What about students of the same age? Some seem very dull and sluggish. Not just getting beaten, but conflicts with roommates and social isolation can lead to depression. What’s the difference? It’s obvious—one studies, the other doesn’t? But if you think psychological problems are caused by excessive academic pressure, that’s problematic: young men with mental issues also face significant stress.
Their girlfriends are stolen, brothers turn against each other, electric scooters are stolen, ID numbers are exposed—society is more complex than school. Yet, they simply don’t succumb to pressure.
The difference lies in how they release stress. Young men with mental issues can curse, fight, rebel against their parents, and even don’t fear authority figures. When they’re sad or upset, they confide in brothers or girlfriends. When they have a chance to show off, they do so fiercely to vent and release. Once the pressure is released, they naturally don’t feel oppressed.
Students? Not only do they lack this outlet, but they are also subjected to even more pressure. They aim to be in the top 5 of the class, and their parents casually praise them, then tell them not to be arrogant, stay humble, keep working hard, and remember the road is long. Since the pressure isn’t released but instead intensifies, it becomes worse.
They can confide in friends, but in the school environment, the confidants are also students under constant pressure. They’re told to stay humble, keep working hard, and the other side doesn’t know how to help or comfort you. A significant number even believe that pressure is good. Asking teachers? It’s more pressure, still more pressure.
So, bottling everything up, the more they suppress, the more uncomfortable and twisted they become. They can’t tolerate even a little show-off or arrogance, believing that those who don’t follow this pressure-driven path are shallow and have no future. Everyone around must stay tense and maintain a pathological humility to feel safe.
When they sense something is wrong but think graduation and work will fix it, they’re mistaken. Once they start working, familiar pressure returns in meetings. Only then do they realize that most companies, from leaders to employees, have also followed this path. Looking back, they see a highly distorted road. The most mainstream path students take is even more twisted and abnormal than young men with mental issues. That’s why psychological problems occur—it’s easy to understand.