Covid-19: the new Great Depression?
Students in Higher Education are experiencing growing mental health issues as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a recent study.
The research, carried out in the United States, found that 71% of students who took part in the study had experienced increased stress and anxiety due to Covid-19, with disrupted sleep patterns, difficulty in concentrating and concerns about academic performance identified as being among the issues commonly encountered.
In recent weeks thousands of students have found themselves having to self-isolate at universities across the UK, with Manchester, Northumbria, Edinburgh, Sheffield and Leeds among the hardest hit areas. Students have spoken of their worry and confusion at being locked down in halls of residence.
University of Portsmouth student Owen Wellington has had to isolate on two separate occasions since moving back to the city. He said: “It’s just tough on your head.”
He added: “It just got really lonely, which made it easier to dwell on thoughts.”
The study concluded that lockdown and stay at home orders brought negative impacts on HE students and said that urgent strategies were needed to address the mental health issues they were facing.
