How to manage the mental health of students during Covid pandemic
In this article, I will explain the management of mental health issues in students during this COVID 19 pandemic. Students are more vulnerable to such disorders now , and they must be taken care of so that they could sail through these tough times.
Seven months have passed since lockdown, and still, we are not sure about when normalcy return. This time is challenging to every sector of society but students are adversely affected. For seven months schools and colleges are closed and so are the joy and happiness of students. This has had a deeply negative impact on students. Students are now trapped in the deadly noose of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Out of 320 million students in India, college students are worst affected, with a 41% rise in anger in the emotion of anxiety and fear, 54% rise in anger, irritability, and frustration, and 38% rise in loneliness and boredom.The way ahead
It is a popular saying When God closes one door he opens other. Yes, it is a tough time, but we humans can cope up with any situation. Students are in a fragile age group and they have a tender emotional quotient so they require strong support from their family. A parent must have a regular conversation with their children to ensure that they stay positive and do not fall prey to false sensational information. Parents and teachers should be vigilant to spot the dangerous sign of mental health and take appropriate action. Making online learning interactive, a teacher can blend fun in studies. A brighter side of this picture is that students do have more time than they ever had, so they must be encouraged to learn new skills, language and take part in various online competition.Valuable family time
A good thing that has happened in this unprecedented time of COVID 19 is that we have got an ample amount of valuable family time. Parents must regulate the daily activities of students and organize small family activities like watching movies, having a meal together, and discussing through video calls with friends and relatives. Students at this age are very curious, inquisitive, and having a sense of freedom and self-dependence. They do not appreciate being supervised every time. So they must be given some personal space so that they must enjoy the same amount of freedom that they used to get in their schools and colleges.Physical fitness
A healthy mind lives in a healthy body i.e. for sound mental health, physical health is equally important. Students should take a healthy diet and drink plenty of water, practice yoga, and light exercise. However, in this pandemic, it is not safe to go outside so students must perform these exercises in the comfort of their homes. This will not only improve their state of mind but also improve their immunity to fight against the virus.
Through these positive steps, we can save our young students the future of our country from falling into a trap of depression and anxiety.
Everyone is perturbed during the pandemic time and students are also affected much by it. They are at the beginning of their career planning and this pandemic has brought so many setbacks and uncertainties in life in one way or other. Students have to reorganise themselves to take advantage of this negative situation. It is true that we cannot go out for various activities in Covid situation but we can do a lot of activities while sitting in home itself. Online learning has now become the order of the day and depending upon the time available in hand one can join some good course online parallel to one's regular education. The essence is the occupied mind and busy schedule. The main reason for a bad mental status is the lack of action and more daydreaming. We have to convert our dreams into reality by acting and making efforts. I have seen many young people who became absolutely much powerful and energetic when they kept themselves engaged in creative tasks.