Shadows of the Pandemic
How Teens Are Struggling With Mental Health Issues in the Wake of COVID-19
After a tumultuous 2020, many students are having a hard time adjusting to “normal” school life again this year, particularly with new mental health struggles that were possibly exacerbated by the pandemic. As mental health discussion becomes more common, it may be high time to start sharing tips on how to manage school while dealing with various mental health and illness difficulties.
The common argument heard from adults that kids “these days” have it easy may be slightly misguided. According to the American Psychological Association, members of Generation Z are much more likely to report fair or poor mental health compared to other generations; similarly, the APA also states that a majority of Generation Z adults have experienced symptoms of stress or depression.
“The thought of going to school makes me want to start crying out of exhaustion,” one 15-year-old student laments. “I feel guilty for not doing work, but if I try, I spend hours on something simple all because I can’t focus.”
The pandemic wasn’t easy on anyone, but students and young people tended to have a particularly challenging time. Social interaction is necessary for proper development, but the lockdown has stifled this ability. Many reported feeling lonely or struggling with their mental health during isolation; numerous students didn’t know where to find support and they were cut off from the friends that would normally provide this support. This is a perfect recipe for declining mental health in young people who are already vulnerable.
“The thought of going to school makes me want to start crying out of exhaustion.”
School is already infamously rough for many students, so returning after a year of isolation and worsening mental health only adds fuel to the fire. Now more than ever, it is necessary to have open discussions about the topic in order to prevent suicides and a generation of depression.
“[Depression has] affected my school life in the way that some mornings I don’t have enough willpower to even get up and go,” a 14-year-old student explains. “I lose my work ethic and stop doing the things I need to do in time.”
Although he finds his depression difficult to deal with, his experience has allowed him to find out what works.
“I always struggled waking up and getting on task, but really and truly? Fixing your sleep schedule does help,” he says.
Mental illness and health issues make it hard to be vulnerable, but he describes that talking to a trusted friend or adult has significantly helped him, despite how “cliché” it sounds. When it comes to catching up with missed work, he recommends pacing oneself; trying to take on too much work at once only has a negative effect. If necessary, one should also e-mail their teacher – in many cases, they will understand and extend due dates.
“Fixing your sleep schedule does help.”
Another student, a 17-year-old junior, describes her experience with depression, anxiety, and autism spectrum disorder.
“I find it very hard to focus or fully immerse myself in subjects that I’m not interested in [...] I can get my work done in class just fine, but as soon as I get home, I suddenly don’t care about school in the slightest,” she says. She acknowledges that while most people might be able to relate to this, her struggle is intensified due to her autism.
Because of this, she contends that the thing that has helped her most was getting as much work done during her classes as possible. This eliminates the risk of losing motivation at home or forgetting about it, which is a common threat among mentally ill students.
While finding the motivation to complete assignments, one sophomore recommends a reward system.
“Dedicating short periods for work is proven to help,” she explains. “Rewarding yourself or having someone else reward you is really useful. It gives you something to look forward to, as dehumanizing as it might sound.”
She understands that people deeply sunk into their mental bog may take her and others’ advice at surface level, but she insists that it’s more than that.
“Not every day is going to be good and none of these things are a magic fix,” she says. “I know you can read it anywhere else and think ‘that doesn’t help’, but you just have to try it. It doesn’t get any easier unless you start searching to find what works.”
“Rewarding yourself or having someone else reward you is really useful.”
But no matter how each student chooses to cope with their mental battles, one common agreement seems to be that the school system could be doing more to help.
The 17-year-old junior believes it’s important to have these discussions about mental health to heighten awareness about students’ internal struggles as well as “how the administration and education system can lessen their contribution to those struggles,” she explains.
Transparency is necessary to cultivate an environment that shows more consideration for those with mental health issues. Although many find it difficult to be vulnerable about their experiences, it is never too late to provide an open forum dedicated to improving the lives of mentally ill students.
“Bottling up everything you feel adds up, and quick too,” the 14-year-old student says. “So even if one day you’re feeling a little down [...] talk to someone. It never hurts to talk.”