Letter to the Editor | Mental health requires more attention – Daily Illini

By Melanie Rodriguez May 16, 2020

There has been an overwhelming amount of media regarding COVID-19. People are panicking about what our future will hold. Having to experience this daily can create a significant amount of anxieties. However, mental health has not been a topic of much conversation during this pandemic, much less the mental health of college students.

Students are being forced to move home since all in-person courses have been suspended. Some students are forced to move back into abusive households; others do not have internet access at home that is needed to access their courses. Some students live in small apartments with family and do not have the space to focus on their courses without distractions. Some are responsible for working to provide for their entire family, which may interfere with their courses.

Students that once had access to mental health services on their college campuses are no longer able to access them. Although there are providers that are offering virtual therapy, many students are still not able to access them due to time constraints or a lack of finances. Some students may not even be aware that these virtual services are offered, since they are not sufficiently advertised.

It is essential to pay more attention to the mental health needs of not only college students but our entire country. We need new policies that will take mental health into consideration as we endure through COVID-19. We are all going through this situation together, and we all need to be supportive of mental wellness.

Melanie is pursuing a masters degree in social work.

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Letter to the Editor | Mental health requires more attention - Daily Illini