Disclaimer: This article talks in-depth about mental health and briefly mentions suicide.
Written by Claire Pham
Edited by Mae Ngo
Cover Artwork by Rachel Hong
COVID-19– a word that has become familiar to everyone this past year. In just ten months, there have been over 30 million cases, 1 million deaths, and billions more in absolute panic around the globe. These numbers are certainly disheartening, but they’ve become so normalized in our brains that many of us don’t think twice anymore while scrolling through Twitter or watching the news. But just for a moment, let’s refrain from looking at the virus from a global scale and try observing it from a new perspective— one that’s more up close and personal— one that pertains to our schools, communities, and most importantly, you.
In an article from CNN Health, Teen Lifeline, an Arizona crisis hotline specifically designed to prevent teen suicide, reported that the number of calls increased by 6% this summer. Normally, calls are expected to decrease by 30-40% during this season because it’s supposed to be a less stressful time period in many students’ lives. Additionally, a survey sent out in May by 4-H, a youth development organization, reported that 7 out of 10 teens have struggled with their mental health in some way during quarantine, and 61% of teens agreed that the pandemic has increased their feelings of loneliness. These kinds of numbers are rarely mentioned in the news, yet they are just as concerning and damaging to this particular age group.
That raises the question: what factors can we attribute this sudden spike in poor mental health to? Some of the most popular factors seem to be online schooling, unstable home lives, isolation, poor social lives, etc. However, the real answer is that there are simply too many to list. We all live varied lives, so the pandemic has affected us in countless different ways. There are athletes, musicians, STEM fanatics, introverts, extroverts, freshmen, seniors— the diversity of the student body in every school is limitless. However, one factor that unites all of us is that our teen years are crucial for self-discovery and development. The pandemic has inhibited our abilities to do so by stripping away the ability to take part in many of the activities that we love. And that brings us to the next question: what are we without that?
When asked about how COVID-19 has impacted her mental health negatively, Vivian, a sophomore, remarked that her feelings of loneliness have increased; as a result, she’s become dangerously dependent on her social media and online presence for validation. Gregory Lewis, an assistant research scientist at the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, states that teens often rely on social connections to validate themselves and also use them as a source of comfort. With social distancing, many young people have turned to social media to continue interacting with others. There’s no denying that in-person relationships are often more meaningful than those started entirely online, so this increased digital presence has stunted the development of many friendships. Waves of loneliness ensue, and we often feel like we have no one to turn to for help.
Ira, another sophomore, says that her grades have been suffering lately; she believes much of that can be attributed to online schooling. In a 1992 study by Neil Fleming, a professor and former senior inspector for numerous New Zealand high school districts, Fleming states that there are four different types of learners— Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing, and Kinesthetic. Today, many schools around the world use the VARK model to better assess their students’ learning processes.
That carries us to my next point: with the implementation of online school, it has become harder than ever for certain types of learners to properly process information. That’s exactly what students like Ira struggle with when studying from home. “I get really demotivated and lonely, so it’s hard to focus on the work,” she says. Now, not everyone may feel the same way. Some students feel less stressed at home. Others are visual/auditory learners, so they’re able to better focus on the onscreen lectures without the distractions of friends or the abrupt clanging of water bottles being kicked over on the ground. But for Ira and many others, staying at home is a momentary sacrifice they must pay in order to further prevent the spread.
Many of us are involved in extracurricular activities beyond school. Personally, I’m a student athlete involved in many different clubs and other activities, and that’s something I take great pride in doing. But if there’s one thing that I’ve learned about myself from the pandemic, it’s that I place my whole worth into my performance at school. When I heard my freshman track season was getting cancelled back in March, I was devastated. Granted, that wasn’t nearly as impactful to me as it was to the upperclassmen, but going to practice was one of the few things I looked forward to at school. What was my first instinct? To immediately begin practicing for the subsequent cross country season, of course. During the summer, I found myself doing one of two things: SAT prep or offseason training. I felt a strange sense of guilt when doing almost anything else. Talking to a few of my friends who are also student athletes, I found they were feeling the same way.
Looking back, I can confidently attribute those emotions to the societal pressure of having to lead a “productive” routine during quarantine. The NCAA conducted a survey and found the majority of their student athletes experienced some sort of mental distress during quarantine. In fact, 1 in 12 reported feeling “too depressed to function” most days. For students involved in different activities, a common side effect of being cut off from their hobbies is anxiety and/or distress. It can destroy their sense of normalcy and force them to mimic the same illusion of productivity at home. We’ve all heard the same “motivating” tips on social media telling us how to keep busy during quarantine. Lose that weight, learn that new skill, have a glow up. However, many people understandably do not have the sufficient resources or mental capabilities to perform these things during such chaotic times, and hearing these sentiments can be damaging. What can we do to combat this type of toxic conversation?
Well, since many schools are having open discussions about mental health, it’s time for teens who are leading busy schedules to start seeing life beyond just the pressure to perform. It’s important to remind ourselves that it’s okay to take breaks. It’s okay to feel unmotivated some days. It’s okay to realize that the path you want to take in life isn’t going to be linear. Humans are too complexly made for us to be placing our entire identity into just a few things. Instead, try to assess your current situation and focus on your own needs. Are you eating enough? Sleeping enough? Practicing hygiene? Are you truly doing the things that make you happy?
I’m not here to tell you to keep a quarantine journal, meditate, or go on daily afternoon walks with your family to “improve” your mental health, because I don’t know what works for you. Only you do. If you ever feel lost or confused during your time in quarantine, remember to start directing attention to your mental health, remind yourself of your worth, and remember that so many other young people are also struggling during these tumultuous times. Know that when you cross the finish line, you won’t be alone.
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