SOCIAL REPRESENTATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL UNHAPPINESS AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENT OF THE CITY OF PORTO-NOVO

Psychological distress among young people in universities today represents a major challenge for their personal balance and academic success. Academic, social, and personal factors combine to undermine students mental health, resulting in stress, anxiety, and sometimes depression. Given this reality, this study aims to analyze the issue of psychological distress among university students in Porto-Novo and to show how awareness-raising initiatives can contribute to its prevention. It thus seeks to understand the causes and manifestations of the phenomenon, while highlighting socio-educational measures that can promote better management. The methodological approach is based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. Questionnaire surveys were conducted among students, supplemented by semi structured interviews with university and socio educational stakeholders, in order to collect reliable and diverse data on the issue. The results of the study reveal that psychological distress is a common reality in the university environment in Porto-Novo. It mainly manifests itself through anxiety, demotivation, withdrawal, and sometimes depression. However, the analysis also shows that socio educational and recreational activities are effective means of raising awareness and prevention, by allowing the expression of emotions, strengthening social ties, and improving the overall well-being of students.