Combatting COVID through mental health awareness, intervention

In kindergarten, coloring with crayons was the best part of the day. Then by fifth grade, it was with colored pencils. Now, we outline in black sharpie and color with professional felt tip markers. Lives are constantly changing, now more than ever.

The world is experiencing a shift into a new normal due to the increasing spread of Covid-19, but something that will stay the same is how people reach out for help with their mental health. The struggles of Covid don’t make mental health issues easier; if anything, they make it much worse. But that doesn’t mean that the help options are not available.

Mental disorders are more than just feeling sad every once in a while. These disorders are continuous and actually change what happens in the brain. Psychology teacher Patrick Bertram spoke on the science behind a mental disorder. 

“When someone has a mental disorder, it's on a spectrum,” he said. “On one side there are the depressive disorders where the function of the brain actually slows down. On the other side, there are manic disorders where the brain actually speeds up and doesn’t seem to shut off.”

Brain functions and chemicals actually change due to a mental illness. Because of the feelings these changes cause, finding the help that someone may need can be difficult, yet important, when needed most. 

“Reaching out can be really hard for students,” school counselor Lynn Swoverland said. “Some kids want to keep this struggle separate from school, which is understandable, but then many aren’t aware of other options.”

The major change that has been affecting the lives of students is the constant shift in how school looks. Going from full in-class to full virtual is difficult enough as is, but then going to a hybrid learning environment and right back into fully virtual can add a great deal of stress to students. 

“I have seen a definite shift in students in the transition to hybrid learning from being fully virtual last spring,” Swoverland said. “I think, especially under the circumstances, anxiety is a greater part of our day to day lives.” 

Anxiety is somewhat of a ‘tag along’ disorder to many mental illnesses.

“When it comes to depression, anxiety tends to come with it because people with depression find it difficult to make a decision and the anxiety comes from possibly making the wrong one,” Bertram said. “On the manic side, they make a decision so fast and constantly change their mind. The anxiety then comes from not being able to pick one thing and becoming overwhelmed.”

No matter the stressors students encounter, finding ways to cope will help them from becoming too overwhelmed with the events taking place in their environment.. 

“It would be great if, as humans, we were programmed in a way that allowed us to just deal with depression and anxiety,” Swoverland said. “But, we aren’t, so it's so important that we find healthy coping skills. Sometimes it's hard to do that, so finding people who can help you develop those skills is a great first step.”

Everybody is going to cope with current situations differently; however, there are small ways for students to take care of themselves.

“As people, we like routine,” Bertram said. “That is what I would strongly recommend to any student struggling with anything. Even if it's as simple as setting a bedtime and waking up at the same time every morning.” 

With school switching between hybrid days and virtual, it's hard for students to get into such a routine. Developing one can bring a great deal of structure and balance to the day in a time where lives are anything but balanced. 

“It was challenging to force myself to make and keep a routine during quarantine,” school counselor Heidi Wheaton said. “I tried just getting out of bed and taking a shower, even though I wasn’t leaving the house. I made sure I wasn’t just sleeping around all day.”

When there is nowhere to go and what feels like nothing to do, staying in bed all day can be tempting, especially for those who struggle to do anything but just that.

“Setting a routine and getting some time in the sun seems simple, but for some it really isn’t,” counselor Alex Corrado said. “I always tell students to try to recognize their small achievements. Waking up, getting out of bed, getting dressed, and having breakfast is a lot for some people. Even doing this is something to be proud of.”

Everybody deals with situations a little differently, and with Covid now being a part of our everyday lives, everyone will be handling it in their own way. 

“We all deal with every part of our lives differently than someone else because we are unlike anyone else,” Corrado said. “Just making sure that we realize this is not forever. Nothing is forever. It will all change with time.”

Going from bikes to cars, or from iPods to iPhones, history proves that nothing stays the same forever. 

“I know it sounds cliche,” school social worker Courtney Wagner said. “Nothing is permanent. It’s going to get better. Just keep pushing.”

By Sophie Burke

Oshkosh West Index, Volume 117 Issue I

October 2nd, 2020