Ma.Donnabellle S. Nisay RN,EMT-B – COBNHS
The 2019 COVID-19 pandemic has brought psychological health challenges to students, such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Students are suffering from both academic pressure and the threat of the epidemic. When the lockdown and restrictions were extended for almost two years, the adverse effects on mental health for students became more severe and harder to address.
During the pandemic, students struggled to cope with the demands of academic requirements, especially when the setup was a fully online class. Some students cannot perform well in a fully online class because of slow internet connection and poor time management. Also, they struggled to utilize the allotted time to complete all tasks as there were too many complicated requirements that must be accomplished given the deadlines. The emotional and moral support of every family member in this kind of situation is very important since not all students can disclose their present condition to their parents because of either consideration/care, acceptance or fear of judgment. Some parents are in financial crisis and even jobless because of the pandemic, so they must find a solution to augment the situation.
Anxiety and depression are serious mental health problems affecting students’ motivation, concentration, and social interactions. Students who are experiencing anxiety and depression, may not have enough ability to perform well in school. This condition may seriously affect their overall wellbeing.
Parents can help their children to cope with Covid 19 changes by helping them adjust to the new normal. Keep trying to keep their children occupied, feel safe, and attempt to keep up with schoolwork as best as possible. This situation is not easy, but it helps to stay focused on what is possible to reinforce a sense of control and reassure children that they are okay and that the situation will improve. It is essential to remember that children look to adults for guidance on how to react to stressful events. Advanced strategies and approaches can be a preventive measure to teach children in coping up with these circumstances, helping the learners to express their thoughts creatively, and giving them the value of appreciation and understanding over their risk of infection can help reduce anxiety. This is an opportunity for adults to model for children problem-solving, flexibility, and compassion as we all work through adjusting daily schedules, balancing work and other activities, getting creative on how we seek for innovation, learning new things provided by the local government and other sectors, and connecting and supporting friends and family members in a new better way.