How the Pandemic has Affected Mental Health

Mental Wellness Group - Student SenateJune, 2022

Today’s mental health post is focused on helping students centre themselves in a constantly changing world. Though the pandemic has affected people across the globe in many different ways, for students, COVID fatigue is just the cherry on top of the normal stress felt from school.. Exams, personal matters from families and friends, and world events continue to add more and more stress to students’ lives. Overall, these factors are contributing to fatigue and burnout amongst our student population! Because of this, today’s post offers hope for students looking to find peace in the eye of the storm. This post will be especially useful when everything seems to be beyond our control. Continue reading to discover how!

Mindfulness and other tips

The pandemic has shown us that situations can often be out of our control, and it can be easy to feel overwhelmed with what we are constantly hearing in the news and online. However, it is important to remember that when things seem to go the wrong way there’s always ways to gain control. Here are some methods to follow when you feel like everything is just too much to handle:

Accept that some anxiety and fear is normal
Seek credible information. Be critical of your sources so that you pay attention to things that are factual instead of opinion based!
Find a balance; know when to stay tuned but also take a breath and a break!
Be careful towards the “what ifs”, remember that you’re resilient. “What-ifs” often lead to worry and feeling overwhelmed!
Be kind to yourself and others!
Stay active and get proper rest and sleep

A simple method of receiving stress can be through mindfulness, either done individually or with guided practices that can ease you into a relaxing experience. These can include taking a moment to observe and enjoy your surroundings or simply slow down to rewire our brain. Resources for mindfulness can be found online, and looking through them can be a great way to try out different practices. Find out what works best for you!

The Effects of Our Current Times

There is a lot of uncertainty as to how the pandemic continues to unfold, which adds to our stress, worry, and anxiety. Research conducted towards exploring the impacts of COVID-19 on society has found that young adults' mental health has undergone a great toll. For more information click here.

Experiences such as closures of education facilities, loss of income, or generally living in an unpredictable environment have significantly contributed to a downfall in mental health amongst the collective world. However, if you are a young person who struggles with the effects of the pandemic on mental wellbeing or are unsure if you are experiencing the symptoms associated with this—you’re not alone! Many people across the world have come together to share their stories and provide ways to heal and grow.

It’s normal to feel concerned about what’s next, but it’s also important to continue using the strategies and tools available to you to support yourself and your loved ones through this challenging time. It can be difficult to process and adjust to the sudden and major changes the pandemic has thrown at us, but understanding that healing is a process that is unique to each person is key to fostering empathy—not only for others, but also for ourselves. Keep reading to hear the voices of students just like you and us during these hard times.

The Student Corner

We asked students from different schools to share some of their ideas to the school communities (obviously you, our dear reader). In this entry we asked for their own experiences on how the recent pandemic has impacted and changed their lives:

“The pandemic has definitely played a large role in this stage of my life. My father was not comfortable with me going in person last year so I was stuck doing online for the whole year. All of my friends were doing in person school together and it left me feeling isolated and separated from all of these people I cared about. At the end of the day we would all hop on a call and they would share so many stories of all the fun they had had. I was not a part of those stories, I was stuck alone in a room for 6 hours a day staring at a screen. I felt unstimulated and my days just became one cycle without any deviation. Although through hardship one learns to persevere, I made many friends that I still maintain today. I found a sense of stability in everything going on and grew more independently through it. As much as it was a rough experience, I think I was able to learn and grow through it.”
“For me the pandemic has been a time for self discovery, this includes the good and the bad. I have been struggling with mental health and am still trying to figure it all out, of course online school wasn't helping with anything. It's given me the time I need to reflect on myself and how my body works.”
“I do feel though I missed a prime time in my life and that I am still too young for this as I never got the chance to properly grow into my age as I was just absorbed by the internet.”
“Pandemic changed me a lot in the way I experienced online class. I can’t hang out with my friends, I got a third vaccine and also I always wear a face mask for protection even if it’s kind of annoying. In addition, It made me realize that I am taking my time with my friends and family for granted as I don't see them often when the pandemic started.”
“The pandemic has changed me in various ways. It has made me more cautious about my surroundings. Since I am cautious about covid I wash my hands more frequently than I would, and I always have sanitizer on me. I notice when someone sneezes or coughs, and it alarms me in a way. I have started planning ahead due to quarantines, and gathering everything I need for school work. Since the pandemic I absolutely hate staying at home, it feels like a punishment. And I will take every opportunity I have to leave my house. The pandemic has changed me, but change is sometimes needed in life although the pandemic wouldn’t be my first option for change. Good things can still happen from a bad situation.”
“I have been more open minded to how things can change instantly like all of a sudden we all can’t do normal things such as do regular school and do activities we enjoy. I am glad things are lightening up.”
“The pandemic slowed the process of me coming to Canada. Before and after l reached Canada it made me get to know different things about different types of people. When I was in Jamaica I didn't know my sister's personality and when I reached Canada the pandemic made me get to know a lot of things about them. I had to do online school in Jamaica for about a year or more. I gotta have more time for myself and got to build my self esteem a little. I had to also stay home for like 7 months doing nothing.”

Though the world around us is constantly shaped by new events and stressful matters, focusing on what we can control as individuals and maintaining a personal balance is key to pulling through these unpredictable times. Thank you for taking the time to read today’s post! We hope the words we share with you today have been worthwhile and have helped you out in any way, shape or form. Stay tuned for the next post of the most amazing blog ever! See you then.

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