Covid mask with Wright brothers hats | Photo by Christian Peters | The Wright State Guardian
Two years into the global coronavirus pandemic, college students still face mental health challenges causing a rising need for mental health care.
Two-year look at COVID-19
Two years ago, in March 2020, schools, universities, workplaces and everyday attractions in the U.S. shut down to help negate the spread of the coronavirus disease.
What experts thought was going to be a short shutdown became a years-long global pandemic.
Mental health is one of the many areas the pandemic has impacted according to the Centers for Disease Control. Experts from The Mental Health Recovery Board of Greene, Clark and Madison counties, along with WSU professor Dr. Huma Bashir, discuss the effects of the pandemic on college students' mental health.
Stress of the pandemic
On March 10, 2020, WSU moved classes fully online due to COVID-19. The majority of classes remained online until fall 202l. Online classes continue today.
Students usually receive less interaction with their peers and instructors in online classes.
Bashir explained how this online environment has affected both students and faculty members.
“Our students felt like they were on an island and just helpless and supporting through that and working through that was a huge challenge for both parties,” Bashir said.
Online classes also decreased peer interaction and social engagement on campus. The Student Government Association has recently reported concerns on low engagement according to their Dec. 2021 Board of Trustees presentation.
Rachel O’Diam, director of treatment and prevention from the Mental Health Recorvery Board, added that young adults were also more likely to feel the economic impact of the pandemic due to business closures which caused a decrease in income.
Effects of stress
The virtual environment along with low socialization and stress from outside factors caused anxiety and depression to rise in the college-aged population, according to Bashir. This in turn caused a greater need for mental health services.
Greta Mayer, CEO for the board, discussed the influx of clients seeking mental health help during the pandemic both locally and nationally. Despite the need, students still face challenges in receiving care due to the high demand.
“70% of teens do not receive the care, the mental health care, that they may want or need so that’s a big percentage that isn’t getting care,” Mayer said.
Mayer and Bashir expect this need to continue, due to the long-term effects of the mental health challenges people are facing and the recovery from the pandemic.
Moving forward
Mayer emphasized the need for building strong communities and environments where open discussion of stress is encouraged.
“It's going to take time to work our way through it, to talk about it and to help people feel safe in sharing how they are really doing,” Mayer said. “I think helping them be able to talk about what they are experiencing is what we can all do to promote good mental health.”
WSU students, faculty and staff in need of mental health care can use counseling and wellness services on campus or seek services out from agencies like the Mental Health Recovery Board.
