Stress soars during turbulent times

Since the Covid-19 pandemic started, there have been many difficult obstacles students have had to face. These obstacles have taken a toll on students’ mental health. 

According to “Coping with Stress,” a cdc.gov article, the pandemic has brought many students stress. This stress can cause fear, anxiety, sadness, change in appetite, change in desires or interests, difficulty sleeping, physical reactions such as body aches or pains and difficulty concentrating.  

The cdc.gov article suggests finding ways to relax. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. It says to try to do activities that are enjoyable like exercising, gaming, reading or other hobbies and take time to unwind. It also said that it is good for students to be social and find someone to trust and talk about your thoughts and feelings. Make sure to eat healthy food and get enough sleep. It also said for students to keep active to lessen fatigue, anxiety or sadness. 

Since the start of the pandemic, there has been an increase of students going to the guidance counselors for help, said Milton School Social Worker Ms. Catherine Temple. 

“I have seen an increase in anxiety and depression being reported by students,” said Guidance Counselor Ms. Leslie Robinson. 

Ms. Temple said the pandemic has made it very difficult for people to visit family and friends. Going to places like the gym or the grocery store now bring health concerns for everyone, not just students. She said it is important to stay safe while connecting with others.  

Guidance Counselor Mr. David Newell said he’s noticed many students struggle with change, unknowns, and social isolation. “We are social creatures who need interactions with other people.  Technology is a great tool, but it really doesn’t satisfy all our needs for social interaction.  Most people are longing for a return to some sort of normal routine again,” he said. 

Furthermore, “The pandemic has taken away some things that would have brought us joy and has over all made it harder to find those happy moments,” said Ms. Temple. “The things that make us happy and connect with people.”  

Although the pandemic has brought many changes and hurdles, Ms. Temple added that she wants students to know that it is valid to feel discomfort, anxiety, anger or any other emotion the pandemic might have brought. 

“Anytime there is big change, it is difficult to adjust,” Ms. Temple said. “Things are not normal right now so it’s okay to feel all of these different feelings.”  

Ms. Temple has advice for the students who might be struggling due to the pandemic. She said she suggests building a “tool box” of coping skills to help deal with added stress caused by the pandemic. “It’s good to have a tool box of skills to manage stress or anger or other emotions, such as deep breathing, exercise, using resources and reaching out to people,” she said. 

In fact, Ms. Temple said that the pandemic has helped people to find coping mechanisms that work best for them that they otherwise may not have known about. This helps people to manage their stress better and helps them to use their “tools” to overcome their struggles. 

 The pandemic has also taught students other ways to connect with each other, said Ms. Temple. Even though the pandemic has made it difficult, there are digital means of communication whether it be a call, text, a FaceTime or connecting with friends over social media platforms, Ms. Temple said. 

According to the cdc.gov article, connecting with social media and keeping up on the news can be good and will help students stay informed. Constantly hearing about Covid-19 can be upsetting so it is important to take breaks from social media or news when feeling overwhelmed. 

In addition to taking care of yourself, it is important to check on others around you as well. Reaching out to someone in need can make them feel less lonely and isolated, said the “Coping with Stress” article. 

 “We want to make it more normal to talk about things that are bugging you or if you’re just anxious or upset or whatever it may be,” Ms. Temple added. 

Ms. Temple said that she and the guidance counselors care about the students and have missed them over the period of time when the school was shut down. She said they are there to help the students with anything they may need.  

 “I think as a school social worker, I’m always worried about the students’ mental health. I want to make sure that everyone has coping skills to manage that,” Ms. Temple added. 

 Ms. Temple said she wants to make it clear that students should talk about their feelings and emotions with others and know who to go to if they ever need someone to talk to. She said if students ever need someone to talk to they can reach out to a guidance counselor. Students can set up a meeting via email with their guidance counselor. The guidance office is located outside the Lit Café. Students can also communicate with a guidance counselor via teams on virtual days, said Ms. Temple.  

 If you ever need immediate help, the guidance counselors are not available or you need more help than they can provide, you can always contact Safe2say. Safe2Say is open 24/7 for the students to get help or to report someone who may need help.  You can go to www.safe2saypa.org, text 1-844-SAF2SAY or use the mobile app available for Apple and Android devices, according to Mr. Newell.