Mental Health During the Pandemic
Many students struggle with their social and emotional health as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
October 18, 2020
Many students have struggled with their mental health during the pandemic.
“I’ve been having a lot more breakdowns and having to be more stressed about things a lot more lately,” Soph. Alexis German said.
Our mental health is what helps us cope with difficult times, gives us empathy to feel for others going through difficult times and also helps with how we handle stress.
“Mental Health is not as visible as often but very similar to physical health in a way of how we need to care for it,” mental health therapist Tanya Smith said.
Common mental health issues include anxiety, grief and depression.
For those that had experienced mental health issues before, the pandemic may increase the levels of what’s already there. For others, they could be feeling a big change to their daily routines and how they originally do things; they may lose the things that would bring them comfort and stability.
Some common reactions include loss of sleep, anger, moments of sadness, distress and loss of appetite. A change in behavior could be a sign that would lead to mental health.
“Anger is the easiest emotion to let out. (That) covers sadness or anxiety, hopelessness, something going on underneath the anger. (Some people may) isolate themselves, not sleeping very well. Not being physically well, not sleeping, not eating, always a sign for someone that needs some help,” Smith said.
Before the pandemic one in six youths suffered from a mental illness, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Smith said she has seen an increase in students seeking help in the last few months.
Students’ mental health was something the school took into consideration. Teachers were required to spend most of their time during the first few weeks covering social and emotional learning (SEL).
Thomas Auge, an instructional coach at the school, helped teachers with SEL lesson plans. Mr. Auge believes that having teachers cover SEL with students will promote better mental health.
“If we don’t address our emotional needs and if we don’t acknowledge that we have emotions and we need to deal with them and not necessarily deal with them in a negative way but recognize that our emotions are something that we all have, they’re not bad, they’re not good they’re just there and we need to understand that we can’t ignore them and once we address them we can grow as a person,” Auge said.
Since school started online, many students are more than excited to get back to school in person.
“I am Optimistic,” Soph. Andrew Le said. “I’m hopeful that our board makes the right decision with the right numbers and then we go back in person with the right precautions.”
If you have any of these symptoms or know someone who does, please contact a health professional or you can contact the Crisis Text Line at 741741.