NUS Survey: Students Are Dealing With Mental Health Problems
Coronavirus Pandemic made everyone suffer, including students. Stress, loneliness, anxiety, and depression have become common words and everyone has suffered these problems. Where most of the social events are canceled, people are forced to do Work From Home (WFH), at the same time, students have experienced online classes.
And drop-off in the interaction between the students seems to hit some of them hard, with some finding themselves alone. It’s been tough for the students to be confined to halls of residence and unable to socialize. A survey by the NUS union of 4,000 students has found more than half of students believe their mental health has deteriorated during the pandemic and less than one-third of them have asked for help.
The reason behind the worse mental health is loneliness. Loneliness and isolation had a great impact on the well-being and mood of a large number of students.
Here’s what students have gone through being within their boundaries.
Shaakir, Journalism Student, Not Allowed To Socialize
He is a second-year journalism student at South Bank University, lives alone in London, and is one who did not seek support. He has had no face-to-face lessons and is living in a “bubble-in-one”. He used to often walk on the streets just to get out of the room. He wasn’t allowed to socialize with anyone, not allowed to speak to anyone apart from the reception, only if required, and also not allowed to connect with my neighbors.
Shaakir described himself as having ‘Zero Motivation’ – a common symptom of depression, as he only had been lying in his bed, just scrolling the phone, sleep and only left the bed to go to the bathroom.
He added: I feel cheated as I Had been expecting online classes once a week.
A spokesman from the South Bank University said almost all the courses have face-to-face teaching and if it hasn’t happened, we apologize.
But Shaakir said he had been offered comprehensive mental health support and those who found themselves living alone had been offered the chance to change the accommodation. He feels his University could have done more to reach him or those who’re struggling, rather than just sending emails, many of the students like him could not open them because of their mental state.
The NUS is calling for more investment in student counseling and wellbeing services, as well as the individuals union for the support.
NUS President Observed “Deep Trouble” In Students
NUS President “Larissa Kennedy” said- it wasn’t surprising students had experienced deteriorating mental health as a result of the pandemic. It is deeply troubling that students are not considering and not getting any support, with only 29% of those reporting worse mental health accessing services.
Later she added- “Students deserve better than their treatment this term. It is time for Governments to fund Universities, colleges, and NHS mental health services to ensure all students can get the support they require.
“Students’ unions need great investment to provide them moral support and continue to provide the essential services”.
A spokesperson from Department for Education (DfE) said in support of the students- it recognizes that it had been a very difficult time for students when everybody was busy with themselves, none was considering students, and protecting their mental health and wellbeing continue to be a top priority.
He added- “We encourage students to contact their University’s support and welfare team if they are confronting mental health”. Many Universities have adapted their resources to better support students online and at distance.
The DfE has provided up to £3m to fund the mental health platform student space, designed to work alongside university and NHS services.
There are more other cases like Klaudia, a first-year student at Liverpool Hope University who suffers from anxiety, found herself being forced to isolate within a few days of arriving that made her feeling hopeless.
