The global COVID-19 pandemic has impacted life as we know it in a multitude of ways, leaving many people’s mental health to suffer. According to a recent Berkeley study, college students across the country have reported rises in anxiety, depression, and loneliness. The Center For Disease Control (CDC), finds the Coronavirus to cause stress for individuals due to the fear and uncertainty of the type of future a worldwide pandemic holds.
Andrew J. Lee, Psy.D., Director of Psychological Services, said the two most consistent COVID-19 related issues he sees are anxieties surrounding the disease, and the economic consequences of COVID-19 lockdowns and job shortages.
“Students are anxious about getting sick or their family and friends getting sick,” Lee said. “There is also the anxiety that comes from the financial burdens of the pandemic, not necessarily the virus itself, but rather the climate of our economy.”
A Pew Research Center survey found that overall, one in four adults have had trouble paying their bills since the global pandemic began. A third have dipped into savings or retirement accounts to make ends meet.
The Kaiser Family Foundation started collecting data in late March when the lockdowns began, and their research found that social isolation and loneliness is directly linked to poor mental health.
47 percent of individuals being studied reported poor mental health during lockdowns, and they credited it to COVID-19 worries, financial struggles, and loneliness.
Being a college student during a global pandemic is a challenge, and students now have to cope with isolation, financial instability, and the adjustment to online classes. Logan Lazarus, a senior education major, said she suffered a case of the “COVID Blues.”
“It was hard to get excited about life after graduation when we live in a post-pandemic world,” Lazarus said. “I am working nonstop and trying to catch up with school because online classes are a hard and weird adjustment. I went to Psych Services at Monmouth and it really helped me get my mind back on track and create a healthy routine for myself.”
Monmouth University’s Department for Counseling and Psychological Services has a variety of services they offer at no additional cost. Students can schedule video or phone meetings with counselors, and this can be done by calling 732-571-7517 or emailing mucounseling@monmouth.edu. Some services offered during these appointments are individual psychotherapy, crisis intervention, mental health education, prevention initiatives, campus outreach, referral guides, and self- help literature.
Lee shared the advice that he gives his own clients.
“The most important word of advice I could give is to allow ourselves to grieve this loss of life as we know it, and to move forward and control what we can in our lives,” Lee said. “We can’t control the world around us, but we can control getting our homework in on time. It is also important to reach out to the people in our lives to combat the isolation.” If you are suffering in any way and are seeking help, do not hesitate to reach out to Monmouth University psychological services. For any student that finds themselves in need of help, Monmouth University offers a variety of mental health services that are easily accessible to students.
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