Lately, the coronavirus has not only been one of the main reasons for most physical health problems, but it has also caused a lot of mental health issues. This article investigates the causes and possible solutions to support students’ mental health in higher education by casting light on the method of talk therapy.
Damages caused by Covid-19
Covid-19 has been a collective stressor for the entire duration of the last year. The virus outbreak closed schools and higher education institutions, including entire campuses. The instruction continued online, but it was not easy for students to pass from the campus life they were used to to a life that saw them back at their parents’ home where they may have a hard time to concentrate. In other cases, poor internet access might have been a problem. On the other hand, international students were forced to remain in the country where they were studying, worry about their dear ones, and be unable to go home. Students who must provide themselves have to face a still-lasting job crisis while trying to follow lessons online. The current digital reality exposes students to media every day may induce anxiety, whether directly or indirectly. All these factors cause mental stress to students who are in desperate need of support.
Several types of support
There are different types of support. Of course, family members, friends, and fellow students, as well as the campus faculty, should all offer their support. Therefore, universities and colleges must provide mental health services. The extra bit of help, thus, must come from the higher education institution itself. Universities and colleges should offer free online counselling via virtual channels. The institutions should keep up with communication by conducting one-to-one sessions with experts. Besides, in need of more specific support, universities and colleges could and should use social institutions and their workers. Higher education institutes should also host free webinars providing guidance, tools, and expertise for both students and faculty.
What is talk therapy
One of the solutions is talk therapy. Talk therapy has, of course, to be done by experts and not by educators or other kinds of university or college staff members. But this does not mean that educators or staff could or should not listen empathetically to the students to guide them towards the talk therapy. There are several positive sides to talk therapy, especially when done online, also because these days it would be risky to do it in person.
How can talk therapy be conducted during the pandemics
Talk therapy’s benefits via virtual channels include having no geographical barriers; it can be therefore done from any distance. The latter makes it also cheaper than the standard therapy since no physical office is needed to conduct the treatment. And, in the end, doing it at home makes students feel more confident and comfortable. This kind of therapy must be easily accessible for the students, and it has to be taken seriously by the higher education institutes.
ACS – ASOMI College of Sciences has the mental health of its students at heart; it helps them and supports their needs at any moment.
Conclusively
Mental health is essential, especially when it comes to a global crisis such as the current one caused by Covid19 pandemics. Universities and colleges must help their students who are under constant mental stress. Solutions such as talk therapy can help to solve the problem. But it has to be remembered that this therapy should be done online, and it should be easily accessible to students in need
