COVID-19 and College students; a mental health crisis
As Margaret McLaughlin closed her laptop at the end of a long Tuesday spent on zoom, she couldn’t help but sigh.
Since the pandemic began, college students 85% have experienced moderate to high levels of distress compared to the normal 40%. From effects on school work, to social life, and everything in between, COVID-19 has impacted mental health in many ways.
Senior Margaret McLaughlin said COVID-19 has made her more aware of her mental health than she ever has been. McLaughlin was abroad in Florence, Italy when COVID-19 hit, and within a few weeks was back home in Pennsylvania living with her parents.
“My mental health is honestly something I never have spent a lot of time thinking about luckily. I’ve always considered myself a stable person but this year has definitely thrown a wrench in that,” McLaughlin said.
McLaughin said one of the biggest struggles has been the lack of social interaction in the last year. A self described social butterfly, Mclaughin has had feelings of isolation and loneliness in a time when being antisocial is a necessity. Although life has changed drastically in a lot of negative ways, there have been some positives too.
Mclaughlin, who owns a small sustainable fashion business, said COVID-19 has inspired her to do more with her talents. In the course of the last year, Mclaughin’s instagram page where she runs her business, dubbed “Magg’s Rags” has grown to nearly 6,000 followers, on top of more than 10,000 on Tik Tok.
“This time has given me a chance to focus on my art more than I ever have, and it’s given me a great amount of growth,” she said.
For college students specifically, there are a number of unique factors playing into the uptick in mental health issues. Therapist and mental health advocate Alison Turley says the uptick in mental health issues, specifically in adolescents, makes sense.
“Life just isn’t normal right now, and that is difficult for anyone to go through, especially young people who are already juggling so much at once,” Turley said.
Senior Kelsie Contreras said that class moving online has been the biggest problem for her recently. She describes herself as someone who learns best during discussions and hands on activities, and zoom has made it nearly impossible for her to get the same experience.
Contreras’ final semester has an 18 credit workload for her Agriculture Business Major, as well as finishing up her minor in Psychology. On top of this, Contreras works two jobs, one as a server, and one at the Schlow Library downtown. Her average week consists of two shifts serving, around four at the library, and 9 hours a day of screen time; an amount that is largely due to school.
Because she fully supports herself, Contreras knows she just has to “get it done,” she said.
“In the beginning it was fine, but as time goes on it’s become harder and harder to focus and get stuff done. On top of the fact that it’s my last semester, my motivation is lower than ever.”
Although it’s been hard, Contreras said her professors have been understanding and supportive of times when she’s struggling.
“Having teachers who empathize with me has been really helpful, and makes me feel like they care about me as more than just a student they teach,” Contreras said.
Because thousands across the world have been experiencing mental health problems, the use of mental health resources have as well. Vibrant Emotional Health, runs the Disaster Distress Helpline, which provides crisis counseling. In March 2020 alone, calls increased by 338%.
More people than ever are in therapy for their struggles, and one of those people is senior Tess Dinello. After starting in late November of 2020, Dinello said her anxieties instantly started feeling somewhat better.
Dinello said much of her shift in mental health came from her life being flipped upside down by the virus. The majority of her year was to be spent student-teaching in an elementary school, and is now being spent sitting on zoom. This, combined with previous mental health issues and an isolated year, led Dinello to the choice to start therapy.
“It’s obviously not something that is fixed overnight, but having someone to talk to whenever I need has been vital for me in the last year,” Dinello said. “Life felt like it was so chaotic and unmanageable, but therapy has been my rock to get me through it.”
Dinello’s closest friend, Caeleigh Smyth feels like therapy has been a great help for her.
“I could tell that Tess was going through something, and I am glad I was able to be there for her,” she said. “…Since she [Dinello] started therapy, she has been so much happier and I can tell things are becoming easier for her which is great to see.”
