Confusion in the Ivory Tower: Cases and Treatment of Psychological Disorders among University Students

Author: Xirun, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features:
Introduction: The university campus, once regarded as a tranquil place, has become a frontline where Eastern and Western cultures intersect. The students, while inheriting the traditional values of the Chinese nation, are also influenced and impacted by the market economy and Western thought. They are either in the process of or have already moved away from their parents' lifestyle, pursuing a more free, democratic, and humanistic way of life. However, they also feel a sense of disorientation and confusion never experienced before. After crossing the high-stakes gaokao exam, living away from home, and facing independence, competition, and adaptation, they undergo a "weaning" restlessness and feel a sense of lost growth. Gathering with classmates from all over the country, they encounter different family backgrounds, living habits, and cultural mindsets, leading to diverse psychological experiences. Pride, inferiority, loneliness, boredom, hopelessness, and fear frequently visit them. Despite their decade of hard study, they still bear the heavy pressure of academic demands. On the path of career choices, they face numerous decisions, feel the loss of their ideals, yet are simultaneously overwhelmed by an invisible pressure over the future. In the realm of love, their youth surges, emotions intertwine, and they often feel a sense of inexplicable confusion. In the maze of sexuality, they are restless, hesitant, struggling, and indulgent. Their lives are brilliant, yet fragile—they may perish for love or choose to flee forever under relentless pressure.