7 mental health resources to help college students during the coronavirus pandemic
The coronavirus has closed campuses across the globe, and many students may need help regulating their mental health and dealing with anxiety
Colleges and universities across the globe have closed campuses and moved instruction online in an attempt to stop community spread of the novel coronavirus.
Many students find themselves back home with family, quarantining while their campuses remain physically shut down. Others may be out of work and worrying about finances on top of attending online classes. Still others are international students who might not be able to return home.
According to researchers at the University of California, Irvine, many people experience psychological distress resulting from repeated media exposure to the crisis.
“It’s a public health paradox that has been identified during and in the aftermath of other collective stressors, such as the 2014 Ebola outbreak,” says Roxane Cohen Silver, UCI professor of psychological science. “In the case of the current coronavirus, people may perceive it as higher in risk because it’s novel, compared to other viruses such as the more common influenza. This can increase worry that may be disproportionate in terms of the actual chance of contracting the illness.”
In a paper published online in the journal Health Psychology, Silver and co-authors from the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing – Dana Rose Garfin, assistant adjunct professor, and E. Alison Holman, associate professor – describe how media exposure during a shared trauma can amplify negative public health consequences.
These concerns and sudden changes combine to cause students varying degrees of mental stress. It’s important for family members, peers, and campus faculty and mental health providers who are in touch with students virtually to use available resources that calm, reassure, and promote wellness.
School responses
“Students are being removed from their daily routines and thrust into an online school environment that may be very unfamiliar to them. We know from experience that students fare better when the social and emotional supports they have in place are maintained and available, and it’s critical we have a way to provide these services during this time,” says Mark McCabe, Mental Health and Wellness coordinator at Colorado Mountain College. “Our students are accustomed to and comfortable using the YOU platform, so being able to maintain and expand this content during a time of heightened anxiety is a key aspect of our ability to manage the situation.”
“It is extremely important, now more than ever, for students to receive an extra layer of support from their school community. For them, it’s all about their journey, where they are on their journey, and how we as an educational institution, can continue providing the resources and tools they need to continue being successful, even when they’re not in our classrooms or on our campus,” says Maggie Labocki, director of Counseling Services at Nyack College.
“It’s essential for colleges to understand where their students find themselves within this new normal, and provide guidance where needed as they try to figure that out during this time. School is a structure they’re familiar with and we have a unique opportunity to provide a sense of familiarity and normalcy. By conducting one-to-one sessions with students via virtual channels and keeping up with various forms of communication, we’re able to continue forming a human connection with them, which is vital during this period of loneliness and isolation.”
Mental health and counseling professionals at Nyack College are doing their best to keep supporting students as social distancing, quarantines, and closed campuses drag on.
“One way we’re working to support students is by providing free telehealth counseling to both graduate and undergraduate students who are located in the Tri-State area through our counseling center. We’re also hosting two free webinars that will provide tools, guidance, and expertise for students, faculty, and more.
“First, through our counseling center, we will be providing insight and background into normal reactions during these uncertain times. Some of the topics covered will include the helpful ways to identify and deal with stress and anxiety, isolation, grief and loss, and then tips on how to achieve academic success during this time. This webinar will be relevant to the entire Nyack College Community,” Labocki says.”
“Second, through our school of social work, we will be sharing essential clinical skills for telemental health that will benefit mental health counselors, social workers, caretakers and more, who are facing formidable challenges when serving their clients using phones or web conferencing platforms. Dr. Anderson Yoon, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor, Certified Cognitive Behavior Therapist and Diplomate and Registered Play Therapist –Supervisor with 20 years of experience in clinical social work and psychotherapy, will be conducting the webinar.”