Mental Health

All the rules and regulations already mentioned have completely changed our lives, which has resulted in long-term stress for many. Restrictions including staying inside, socially distancing and shielding were inevitable in bringing about a decline of mental health. A study from researchers at the University of Oxford showed that people who were diagnosed with COVID-19  are more likely to have a subsequent psychiatric diagnosis, such as depression or anxiety, in the following 14 to 90 days. 

In our survey, 42.5% of the 18-22-year-olds said the pandemic has harmed their mental health. Strikingly, only 2.0% believed it has had a positive effect. Also among the 23-29-year-olds, 38% stated that they felt negative effects on their mental health.

Looking at the results as a whole, we see that the older the respondent, the more likely a ‘stayed the same’ response was chosen. Also, there is a difference between students and workers. Students feel overwhelmed by the material they have to learn while feeling unsupported by their university at the same time. There is no exchange with fellow students and all other social interactions, such as coffee during the lunch break or studying together in the library, are also not possible. Considerations about a future career cause many people additional uncertainty - in times like these even more than usual .

In comparison, about 24.8% of people who are currently employed responded that their mental health was affected negatively. The value for students here is 41,0%. Many people work from home, but there is often still the option of going into the office under given health regulations. Universities and schools are closed and lectures and seminars take place via distance learning. In April, it was reported that 1.2 billion children were out of classrooms worldwide. Online learning has accommodated some needs and enhanced others. 

While it has its advantages to attend a lecture from bed, 35.3% of respondents from the 18-22 age group and 45.2% of 23-29-year-olds found distance learning slightly effective. In addition to these numbers, there are significant racial disparities in online learning that cannot be seen in our survey. An article of McKinsey&Company showed that “students of color could be six to 12 months behind, compared with four to eight months for white students” in the U.S. This can be explained in part by the fact that black and Hispanic students are twice as likely as white students to lack access to live teachers. After more than six months, many have looked into online teaching and found the best possible way for themselves. However, something still needs to be done to address inequalities that exist due to private living situations or lack of technological equipment.

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