The scary outburst of the COVID- 19 has disturbed the lives of humankind. But the student mental health crisis is a prime concern among that.
This has severely affected the students who have not been provided with enough concern.
Why students are facing mental health crises?
Students are immensely affected due to the pandemic for several reasons. They are continuously locked at home because their parents want to protect them from the virus.
But the students are not used to this life at home, so they are getting affected emotionally and mentally. Children and teens in their growing years like to play around and go to school where they can meet their friends and teachers.
But the lack of normalcy is affecting their mental health which is also sometimes redirected towards their physical health.
What is the reason for student mental health crisis due to COVID- 19?
When we are doing something out of our routine it affects us. These students who are not enough mature as that of the adults are continuously living a life that is getting suffocating for them.
The impact of the Covid 19 among students is as follows.
Online classes
Though online classes are helping the students to continue their studies, it is tampering with their mental health. When they sit for long hours in front of a device it is not equal to the classroom atmosphere.
The students are not as attentive and productive when they are at home. They barely listen to anything while thinking about anything else.
The students are also consuming the devices for doing homework and other projects. As a result of this, they are affecting their mental health as well as physical health.
When they are seat straight in front of any device, they are affecting their eyes as well as developing back issues. The students are slowly growing irritated with this process of study.
There are no practical experiences of studies. There is no fun in listening to the teachers speaking alone without many interactions. If you are a medical student and looking for a USMLE step 1 online course and you can become a practicing physician.
Lack of friend circle
When the students used to attend their institution, they meet their new or old friends but in the online classes, they hardly get to speak to anyone which to hampers their mental health. When they are not speaking to their friends it does affects their balance of mind.
They also need to let their emotions flow, but they are lacking so.
Inactive
When they are continuously at home, they are completely inactive physically. So, they need a few activities to cheer them up physically.
Since the students play a lot with their friends. They are getting affected mentally by staying at home. They are getting lethargic and inactive.
The students need to practice some sort of physical exercises like dancing, skipping, yoga, cricket within the premises of your house.
Swimming is one of the best exercises, that you can practice when you are a student, but that is not possible in this Covid-19 situation. So, try to replace swimming with other possible activities.
When we practice some body exercise, we feel much energetic and positive. This is applicable in the case of students too.
Over-eating
Although students are not eating much junk food, they are sitting all day at home doing minimum physical. Thus, they are gaining weight very easily.
This is so because they are eating the same amount of food daily without any control of proportion. Also, there are no restrictions in ordering food online, so they are doing that as well.
Knowingly or unknowingly, they are making themselves lazy and upset with systematically gaining weight. When the students keep on gaining weight, they become upset about being overweight.
This becomes a significant issue for the students to undergo a huge mental health crisis. They are body shammed on social media by their friends and often by their family members and relatives.
Family crisis
This is the most relevant issue that the students are facing during the pandemic. It may happen that the family problem or any crisis may indirectly affect the child.
We assume that children don’t understand crises situations. But that is untrue. They do understand it.
When the elders rebuke their children due to their stress it impacts their mental health. In the last year, many students are facing such tensions in their houses.
This includes financial crisis, medical crisis, loss of a family member, or disputes between parents. These elements are immensely hampering the mental well-being of a child who is in her or his growing period.
This face is somehow disrupting their childhood and the education is also hampered.
Students are getting anxiety attacks, depressed, suicidal, and aloof from this world.
Excessive consumption of devices
Not only during the classes but after that, the students are either playing on it or they are consuming some content for entertainment.
This is multiplying their device consumption which is immensely affecting their mental health. The more you consume the devices and their activities it leads to a world of imagination and diverts you from the world of reality.
It makes you isolated from the world. After a certain time, you feel lonely despite having people around you.
How can this problem be evaded?
When the situation is critical, we need to take measures that secure our mental health from damage. The students are from different age groups if they are not able to solve their problem then, they should take help from their parents or anyone they can talk to.
When we talk about our problems, then only it craves its way towards any solution. The possible solutions are as follows.
- The parents should include their students in different activities that keep them happily engaged in their activities. This will improve their mental being and will keep them happy and elated.
- You can also do some activities together like, cooking, cleaning, online shopping, watching content or games.
- The students often tend to lose creativity amidst devices. So, they should be around creative activities like painting, sand art, crafting, etc. They can also attend a few effective and fun seminars.
- Parents can organize weekly playtimes, with the friends of their child in the home ensuring the safety of all students.
- They can attend online yoga, Zumba, or any activity classes that will make them chirpy and productive.
- Listening to music helps in safeguarding mental health issues.
- Blurting out your emotions also helps in maintaining a balance of your mental health.
- Taking to the person who understands you makes you confident and happy.
- If you cannot go out much then go to the terrace and absorb the sun as well as the nightlife. Trust me nature has amazing healing power.
- Spend time with your children they need your time more than you think they do.
Conclusion
Students need recreation to study and stay lively. The students need basic things to stay happy and motivated and they should be provided with that.
It is important to safeguard all our mental beings irrespective of our age. These measures can help us escape the student mental health crisis which is growing day by day.
