The COVID-19 pandemic has gripped our country as no disease has in the last century. Almost all of our medical resources and technologies have been devoted to trying to slow down the spread of this virus in America. With all of these resources devoted to one cause, some diseases are being ignored for the sake of lethal priority.
One of these issues that are especially apparent to college students is the increase in mental health disorders brought on by the pandemic. I will go through and talk about how mental health has been affected because of COVID-19, while also referencing some of the other eight dimensions of wellness. After addressing these issues, I will follow up with strategies on how to improve the situation of someone struggling with mental health because of the pandemic.
Impact on Social Mental Health
Being social is a huge factor in someone’s mental health. Many studies have concluded that an increase in socialization is shown to drop rates of depression and some patients show an increase in the feeling of connectivity.
COVID-19 has made it very difficult to maintain a meaningful person to person relationships. Though it seems impossible there are many strategies that you can use to socialize yourself; while still respecting the ongoing pandemic.
● Do outdoor activities where breathable air isn’t being recycled
● Wear and disinfect mask every day
● Avoiding certain social hotspots that don’t respect COVID regulations
● Developing risk assessment for COVID-19 infection possibilities
Impact on Intellectual Mental Health
The virus has changed our world and for college students, this is a bigger nightmare than what most can imagine. In almost every field, jobs have changed, and how they enact those jobs has changed.
This massive additive of stress is causing many student’s mental stability to plummet. The students studying to become things that may not even exist because of this pandemic are panicking. Many want to know that at the end of all of their hard work, they will be rewarded with the opportunity of employment.
An example of this is people that wanted to go into education. This virus has caused the education system to have to think on its feet and adapt. Many current students in education do not like the platform for online teaching. They feel it does not allow the teacher to make any type of personal connection with the students. This is causing some to change majors and rethink their paths in life.
This stress is very real for many college students, though there are ways in which we can take action and help improve mental health regarding this issue.
● Academic Advisor: If this virus has caused you to rethink your life plan, contact your advisor, and see what other options are available for you.
● Head of Your Program: If you are feeling lost in your program, talk to the head of the program. They will be able to give you any information regarding how you will use the program when you graduate
● Internships: A great way to see if a job or program is good for you is to intern. It is more difficult now because of COVID-19, though people are still allowing interns in some aspects.
Impact on Mental Health Environmentally
Our mental health has so much to do with our environment and the environment in which we do our daily tasks. This can cause an increase in depression and anxiety for those affected. For college students, our environment, especially in regards to where we learn is so important.
This new environment has caused many to have to create an environment where they can learn remotely. I personally was having a very hard time with this issue and feel especially connected to this.
Here are some tips to help create a better environment to learn and reduce stress on mental health.
● Separate Environments: Avoid studying where you already relax. Create a space that is dedicated to doing quality work (Trout, 2020).
● Alternative Location: If you can’t create this space, go to a library or a local wifi spot. This is helpful because these environments are already built so one can focus
● Do Not Settle: Avoid working in distracting environments. You will get a fraction of your work done, while just raising your stress levels.
Conclusion
These are not all of the solutions to these problems. These solutions are easy fixes that will help someone struggling with mental illness in college adapt.
References
Career and Student Employment Services. (2020). Western Michigan University. https://wmich.edu/career
Czeisler, M.É., Lane, R.I., Petrosky, E., et al. ( 2020). Mental health, substance use, and suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic - United States June 24-30, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly, 69(23),1049–1057. doi: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/pdfs/mm6932a1-H.pdf
Trout, S. (2020). 6 Tips For Creating the Perfect Study Environment. Herzing University. https://www.herzing.edu/blog/6-tips-create-perfect-study-environment
Williams, V. (2019). Mayo Clinic Minute: The benefits of being socially connected.https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-the-benefits-of-being-socially-connected/