How to take your mental health into your hands, Schools will fail to support you

Since January, the mental health crisis this country faces has only gotten worse, and this is especially true for students.

Since educational institutions will be taking precautions to limit the spread of COVID, it is expected that students will have difficulty accessing in-person mental health resources, adding more barriers to overcoming stigma and accessing counseling. This new normal will affect just about every aspect of student life including academia, exercise, social interaction and many more. In this unprecedented time students will be away from the traditional classroom environment. Nearly everything about detecting changes in student mental health is redefined and somewhat arbitrary.

The casual emotional “pick me ups” from social situations, happiness derived from friends, and even discussion with mentors such as coaches and teachers looks different, and greatly diminished. Many counseling centers have not been given enough tools to offer the same quality of resources to students for the upcoming year. The problems surrounding mental health in students is not a new problem as per the American College Health Association(2017 survey) 64% of students said they have felt “very lonely” in the previous 12 months. This stat is a part of the general trend indicating a staggering rise of widespread mental health problems affecting students. Covid only stands to heighten these circumstances.

Students have been put in a situation where they may have to choose between getting an education, and safety. Not only that, but students are also expected to struggle socially in the upcoming year. For many students, school is the only outlet they have to freely express themselves with people of similar interests. When this falls away, so does their support system. Having interviewed high school and college students, we found that the vast majority of them talk to their friends when they are feeling overwhelmed or concerned about their mental health. With the lack of in-person interactions, students have less of an ability to discuss and manage their mental health among peers.

Supporting Tools

We know that maintaining a positive outlook can be difficult at times, especially when online resources can be difficult or confusing to access. Here are some ways educational institutions can adapt.

Create a culture of understanding.

• Students and faculty should know that they aren’t expected to pretend things are back to normal. Be mindful of the unique challenges to mental health during this time, and allow students to know it’s okay if their mental health slips and they need extra support.
• Online counseling sessions and group therapy.
• Online video streaming platforms are gaining popularity, and many counseling services have adapted to offer video sessions and group therapy. Though this isn’t a perfect replacement, it can help during this pressing time.

Use of Mindfulness Applications

• Mindfulness meditations are a well-established practice with many studies finding it to be effective in managing, and improving mental health. It can also be a very personal experience. For this reason, making personalized mindfulness apps like vrtumind a part of a daily routine will help support students with personalized meditations for stress, anxiety, relaxation, and isolation.

Understand the importance of self care

• Making self-care a priority, whether it be practicing mindfulness meditation, exercising, or allowing yourself a spa day, is important in maintaining and improving mental health.

As schools continue to transition online, a host of issues may arise. By staying mindful about student mental health, offering comprehensive support, and giving students access to tools such as mindfulness applications, schools may be able to limit the negative effects that COVID-19 restrictions cause. More articles can be found at https://vrtumind.com/on-our-minds