A sudden outbreak of Coronavirus has brought millions of problems to our world, such as economic and social disruption as well as issues with physical and mental health. Evidently, lifestyle changes have greatly affected the mental health of teens. But to what extent do these mental health issues trouble our students?
Mental health, defined by the World Health Organization, is, “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can contribute to his or her community.” Mental health affects how we think, feel, and act as we cope with life, so it is important for our well-being. Issues with mental health have been a problem in our society way before the virus. People of every age, including teenagers, all around the world, suffer from mental health disorders. These mental disorders, in kids our age, may be caused by childhood trauma, bullying, the pressure at school, unstable or dysfunctional home environments, unsafe living conditions, early loss, and more. The latest virus has had a huge impact on our mental health. We all know that because of the circumstances, educational institutions, schools, universities have shifted to an emergency online learning format. Based on the insights from the American College Health Association 2019 research, “because of the sudden changes of the way of studying, students started to experience less motivated towards school work, they came into contact with increased pressures to learn independently, they aren’t able to follow their usual daily routines, and there’s a potentially higher rate of dropouts.” Even if they try their hardest, because of the simple and foolish problems, like weak internet, students are not able to show their fullest abilities during the classes and to learn as productively as they used to. Communication and forming a friendly relationship with the teachers has nearly become impossible, which restrains the learning process, as well.
I wanted to see myself, how children around me are coping with the virus, so I conducted a little survey. I asked some of the GZAAT students two questions: What type of mental health issues have they encountered during the pandemic, and if their mental health has gone any better during the pandemic. The survey was anonymous. Even though it is a little uncomfortable to talk about private mental health problems, the answers I received were surprisingly open and numerous.
On the chart, we can see how the answers varied from each other. 12% of the students said that they had some issues before, and the pandemic hasn’t affected their mental health. The same amount of students responded by saying that they do not deal with any mental health issues. Again, the same percentage said that the beginning was hard, then, in the summer, they felt better, but after school had started they began feeling worse. 17% of the students said that they used to have some issues, but because of the pandemic, they had more free time for themselves, so they are feeling better now. And, finally, 47% of the students said that they developed mental health issues during the pandemic, or they already had some problems, but in the pandemic, the situation got worse. Students wrote that they developed issues like an existential crisis, depression, anxiety, ED (eating disorder), and stress.
I also decided to ask our GZAAT psychologist, Keti Mosashvili a few questions about this topic. She told me that from the beginning of the pandemic till the present time, and especially recently, students have been asking her for some help. I asked her what type of problems they have. She divides these problems into two categories: academic and social-emotional. Academic problems include difficulty in concentrating, lack of energy, and motivation. Social-emotional problems include boredom, irritability, anger, lack of communication, difficulties in sleeping, and so on. Ms. Keti Mosashvili told me that one of the main problems that she considers is the lack of sleep and the ineffective distribution of time. She explained that “at the end of the lessons, many students start to rest, but for 3-4 hours and start doing homework only at 6-7 PM. It's too late. As a result, they fall asleep late and are not so energetic in the morning. She added, ”I also asked her for recommendations. She told me that her main advice is a correct regulation of a sleeping schedule, good and healthy nutrition, and a proper distribution of time. A quality 8-9 hours of sleep and a timely breakfast lead to better concentration and involvement in class. “I also advise you to write a detailed weekly schedule, where you’ll distribute time for following activities such as studying, rest, lunch, virtual socialization, etc. In this case, you’ll become more motivated in life.”
Keti also told us that students can always contact her and ask her for some help, any time if they’ll need to because often problems are individual, and these general solutions may not work.
In the end, even though I felt sorry for the students who have to go through these difficult times, I also felt very heard and relieved because I understood that I’m not alone. I think that children my age have it the most difficult because adolescence is the time when we crave the very opposite of social distancing. Communication with my friends and getting to know other people was what helped me to be motivated in life. This school is still new for me, and instead of an exciting new environment I got my bed and a computer on my lap. However, it is crucial to realize that everyone is in the same situation, and through reaching out and considering the recommendations of psychologists, hopefully, we can together endure through these hard times until we overcome them.
Edited by Mashiko Lortkipanidze
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