By Sarah Kirsh
As humans are social beings, it's not hard to imagine that a socially isolating event such as a global pandemic will impact mental health. For teenagers and young adults, these detrimental effects can grow further as youth are still developing. High school and college students already have immense pressure to balance school, extracurriculars, physical activity, family, and social life. If one outlet is taken away, there can be catastrophic effects. Furthermore, for many high school and college students, monumental events were taken from them in the past year. The absence of long-awaited life events such as graduation, prom, group vacations, or study abroad, is bound to cause distress for any young adult. As well, more stressors such as the loss of a family member can contribute to deteriorating mental health. Altogether, there are several mental health conflicts that have arisen from the pandemic from lockdown to today’s “new normal.”
The social isolation of quarantine created a dark and dull setting for all students. Having high school or college life ripped away immediately, students were forced to deal with the reality of a global pandemic. A study from last November by the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that adolescents are most likely at a higher risk to experience depression and anxiety during and after enforced lockdown. Moreover, as teenagers experience isolation and boredom, many turned to social media to fill the time. It is widely known that social media negatively impacts mental health as developing teenagers compare themselves to pictures. A research study was done in April of 2020 evaluated the effects of social media exposure on adolescents during the lockdown in China. The study found that social media exposure increased during the lockdown and that “frequent social media exposure positively associated with high odds of anxiety and combination of depression and anxiety.” The loss of a family member would only add to this depression and anxiety. Finally, the several extensions of lockdown for months can leave already mentally ill students feeling hopeless. This hopeless feeling only continued as the conditions of the pandemic continued into a “new normal.” Together, the lockdown and isolation of the pandemic set up students for mental health suffering.
With all of these potential mental health issues, action must be taken to protect students’ lives. Last June, the CDC conducted a study on the mental health of Americans during the pandemic. They found in their survey that the proportion of respondents who indicated serious suicidal thoughts was significantly higher for young adults ages 18 to 24. To prevent mental suffering and possible suicide, widespread access to mental health counseling and support must ensue. High school or college students must be given resources through their school or community. There is as well a responsibility of roommates, classmates, and friends to look after those around them. This is an extraordinary and unprecedented time in our lives. If you see someone suffering, do not hesitate to show them resources or contact a mental health resource. It may make all the difference in the world.
Sources:
Loades, Maria Elizabeth et al. “Rapid Systematic Review: The Impact of Social Isolation and Loneliness on the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in the Context of COVID-19.” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry vol. 59,11 (2020): 1218-1239.e3. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2020.05.009
Gao, Junling et al. “Mental health problems and social media exposure during COVID-19 outbreak.” PloS one vol. 15,4 e0231924. 16 Apr. 2020, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0231924
Czeisler, Mark É et al. “Mental Health, Substance Use, and Suicidal Ideation During the COVID-19 Pandemic - United States, June 24-30, 2020.” MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report vol. 69,32 1049-1057. 14 Aug. 2020, doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6932a1
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