Fatima AlDallal, Head of the Counselling Centre at the American University of Bahrain, highlights the need for mental health and wellness initiatives and how AUBH is addressing student anxiety, stress, and emotional health through counselling services, mindfulness programmes, and support systems.
University years are often described as a journey of growth, independence, and possibility. Yet worldwide, more students are grappling with stress, anxiety, and uncertainty. Academic expectations, family pressures, and constant comparison, often intensified by social media, significantly influence mental health and how young people experience university life. The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic has further amplified these pressures, leaving many emotionally fatigued and socially unprepared.
At the American University of Bahrain, we recognise that these pressures do not stay outside the classroom door. In my work as a licensed clinical psychologist overseeing the AUBH Counselling Centre, students frequently share the weight of needing to excel academically, secure employment, and manage family expectations while navigating their own identities. Although it has been years, the pandemic’s effects on mental health have remained, especially on this generation’s young adults. It disrupted routines, increased isolation, and created a lingering sense of unpredictability. For many, returning to campus meant playing catch-up both academically and emotionally.
Our mental health response must be thoughtful, compassionate, and comprehensive. At AUBH, the Counselling Centre provides a confidential, judgment-free environment where students can express concerns early in a therapeutic setting, before they escalate. More students today are reaching out not because they feel unable to cope, but because they recognise that mental health requires the same intentional care as physical health, a shift we should encourage and celebrate.
Importantly, emotional well-being directly affects academic success. When students receive support in processing personal life stressors, whether related to anxiety, family dynamics, identity, or simply the demands of young adulthood, they are better able to focus, retain information, and remain engaged in their studies. Sometimes, the most meaningful academic progress begins by helping a student feel grounded, safe, and confident in their abilities.
Supporting student mental health is more than a service; it is a shared responsibility. By investing in wellbeing alongside education, we are not only helping students succeed today, but we are equipping them to flourish long after graduation.
Written by
Fatima AlDallal
Head of Counselling Centre
American University of Bahrain
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