In life, there are moments when you get a signal from your body. Moderate stress is necessary as a driving force for improving work efficiency. However, if you are under excessive stress, you will feel tired. You get sick and you feel lethargy, a state where you don't want to do anything. Recently, due to COVID-19, the average person’s amount of physical activity has decreased, resulting in stress. As you live a stressful life, you can often see that your body hurts and even feels lethargic.

 To understand lethargy, you need to be aware of the relationship between stress and lethargy. Before lethargy sets in, it is necessary to rest and relax according to your stress level. Stress consists of warnings, resistance, and exhaustion. The first warning step is when stress can be naturally relieved on its own if it is not triggered. The second part, resistance, is the stage of resisting and fighting stress. However, unlike before, the body cannot respond actively and starts to get tired. In the last stage of exhaustion, problems with body function occur, resulting in symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. You should get enough rest and manage your stress well before the exhaustion comes. However, lethargy is often neglected and not considered an actual disease. But if it gets worse, lethargy will eventually develop into depression

 In particular, adolescent lethargy is a recently growing problem. Mentally and physically immature adolescents are vulnerable to stress. In a society where grades are the standard, people are judged by grades, not by personality. Schools and parents emphasize being the best through comparison and interference. Academics, stress about future careers, and lack of communication with parents amplify adolescents' lethargy. If they get tired during the most important period of personal development, they want to give up everything. Korea's suicide rate is the highest among OECD member countries, and the suicide rate is also increasing every year. Among the victims, 70~90% suffer from depression, and the risk of adolescents` suicide is especially high. If there is a teenager who is experiencing mental health issues, it is necessary to seek help. Adults and parents who have life experience can also offer advice to help young people affected by depression.

We have prepared some questions to help self-diagnose lethargy:

 If more than five of the above statements apply to you, you can suspect that you are suffering from lethargy.

 Lethargy is a different concept from burnout, and it’s a symptom that cannot be properly applied if we still have energy. In this case, it’s better to find rewarding tasks that only require a little effort. Things like washing dishes and taking a shower can help you feel less lethargic because it takes less energy and time to get results. Other forms of physical activity can also improve your overall physical feeling. For readers who may be suffering from lethargy, Pharos will introduce a way to get help from experts. Kyonggi University is offering free counseling for students. You can easily get help by accessing “Barun System” and entering “Counseling Activity” and scheduling a date and time. You can also ask for counseling on depression, anxiety, and relationship problems, so if you feel it is necessary, it is recommended that you get counseling. If you feel that your symptoms are not significant enough to warrant consultation, this may just be your own subjective judgment, so it is recommended that you try counseling even in this case. Thinking of counseling as too serious or unnecessary can lead to major mental illness. 

 When physical wounds are exposed, most people go to hospitals and receive prescriptions to treat them. However, mental pain is not easily visible, so small signals are often neglected and the patient doesn’t seek treatment. In particular, adolescent lethargy, which comes before severe mental illness, is often regarded as academic stress or just a phase of adolescence. However, it is important to remember that mental illness can affect anyone. It's better to keep in mind that if you ignore small signals, they can build up to form a serious illness. If people around you look lethargic or if you feel lethargic yourself, why don't you take steps toward getting help for yourself or others around you?

75th Reporter • KIM YUN JUNG • dbswnd7676@naver.com

78th Cub Reporter • LEE HYEON SEO • zzhs00@@naver.com