NOT ALL WOUNDS ARE VISIBLE

STRATEGIC GOAL AREA EXEMPLIFY

WRITTEN BY: LEXI MOORE, EF, PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Everyone can agree that this past year has been hard. The global pandemic served as a common stressor for all, however, the mental health of young people has been disproportionately affected. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 75% of young adults ages 18-24 have reported struggling with depression or anxiety during the pandemic. Further, 1 in 4 young adults in the same age group reported having seriously considered suicide in the last 30 days.1 These astonishing statistics highlight the severity of the mental health crisis among the collegiate student age group and the need for intervention.

Defining Mental Health and Recognizing the Signs of Mental Health Challenges

In order to understand mental health, it must be properly defined. According to the CDC, mental health is made up of an individual’s emotional, psychological and social well-being. The balance of these areas contributes to how people handle stress and relate to others.2

Students often struggle with five forms of stress: academic stress, family stress, personal stress, financial stress and future stress. Unfortunately, the global pandemic continues to directly affect each of these areas.

In addition to the aforementioned stressors, some students are struggling to manage a mental illness. Unlike mental health, mental illnesses are diagnosable medical conditions that directly affect a person’s thinking, feeling, mood or behavior. These include conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, personality disorders and more.

So how do students distinguish whether they or a loved one are experiencing a mental health challenge or a mental illness? How do they identify the need to rebalance or seek help to better their mental health? It can be hard to tell whether someone is having a series of bad days or if they are suffering from something more serious. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) warns that a person may be experiencing a mental health challenge if they have prolonged feelings of sadness, drastic mood changes, or if they are having trouble eating or trouble concentrating. Signs that someone may be in immediate danger and need of professional assistance are extreme feelings of hopelessness or if they indicate thoughts of self harm.3

Early intervention is key to ensuring the safety and well-being of an individual experiencing a mental health challenge. Familiarizing themselves with the signs and common stressors that they may experience allows students to identify how they or a friend are feeling, work to better communicate their needs with others or seek help from medical professionals if necessary. These tools along with a clear definition of mental health helps to remove the stigma surrounding the topic and opens the door for discussing these challenges with others.

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Common Signs of a Mental Health Condition

1. Feeling very sad or withdrawn for more than two weeks 2. Severe, out-of-control risk taking behaviors 3. Sudden overwhelming fear 4. Not eating, throwing up or using laxatives to lose weight 5. Seeing, hearing or believing things that are not real 6. Repeatedly and excessively using drugs or alcohol 7. Drastic changes in mood, behavior, personality or sleeping habits 8. Extreme difficulty in concentrating or staying still 9. Intense worries or fears that interfere with daily activities 10. Trying to harm oneself or planning to do so 4

How to Help a Friend Facing a Mental Health Challenge

Although mental health challenges are common among young people, nearly half of college aged students do not seek help.5 One of the many barriers that prevents them from seeking help is the feeling of being a burden to someone else. This barrier to sharing the emotions they are navigating may lead students to withdraw from activities that once brought them joy. It may also lead them to distance themselves from people they care about or develop ineffective coping mechanisms such as drug or alcohol use. Knowing how to effectively engage students experiencing a mental health challenge in a

Behind Happy Faces curriculum developer, Ross Szabo, discusses how to talk to a conversation is key to opening the door for them friend about mental health with collegiate members during his session of the Spring 2021 Live Virtual Collegiate Keynote Series. to seek help. Having a conversation with someone about mental health can be uncomfortable for all parties involved. So it is no surprise that navigating these conversations and offering support from a distance presents its own challenges. An inability to be there physically for someone does not mean that there are not other ways to show up for them. In fact, the most powerful way to show up for someone is by offering them a safe place to be heard. Whether it is a weekly FaceTime call, frequent text or email, keeping an open line of communication allows us to check-in. Utilize the conversation starters listed on the next page to start the conversation with a friend you think may be experiencing a mental health challenge.

Concerned About a Friend? Here are Some Ways to Start the Conversation:

-"How are you feeling?" -"Is there anything you would like to talk about? -"Are you alright? I've noticed you've missed class a couple of times." -"I feel like something's up. Can you share with me?" -"I know life can be overwhelming sometimes. So, if you need to talk I'm here."6

During the conversation, it is critical to let the individual experiencing the mental health challenge take the lead. Create a safe and open environment that lets them know that they are cared for and free from judgement. Validate their feelings and refrain from giving personal advice. After the conversation, be sure to follow-up and check-in regularly. Be a friend that they can rely on to be a sounding board and direct them to additional resources as needed. If at any time the person’s safety and well-being become a cause for concern, call 9-1-1 or loop in a professional.

As the world continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, the long term effects on mental health remain to be seen. It is critical that young people continue to take care of themselves and others around them. It is important to note that students do not have to wait until things get overbearing to seek help in managing their mental health. In fact, being proactive can better help them manage or cope with mental health challenges as they arise. Practicing self-care, familiarizing oneself with reliable resources and maintaining open communication with a trusted source are all ways students can work to maintain balance with their mental health.

RESOURCES

Behind Happy Faces Collegiate Curriculum

Alpha Sigma Alpha is committed to fostering a sisterhood that is supportive of mental health. In the fall of 2020, the Sorority introduced the Behind Happy Faces mental health program to collegiate chapters. This program utilizes educational videos and lesson plans to enhance emotional development. The lessons cover topics such as understanding mental health, changing ineffective coping and how to talk to a sister who is experiencing a mental health challenge.

Interested in participating in a Behind Happy Faces lesson? Ask your chapter wellness chairman for more information about facilitating this program for your chapter.

“[The Behind Happy Faces program] reminded me that it is important for us to all be kind, understanding and present for one another since we never know what other sisters may be going through.” Allie Hanon, Theta Omega

“Having the opportunity to lead the Behind Happy Faces lesson was really eye-opening. I was able to deepen my understanding of mental health and learn how to have an appropriate, meaningful conversation with a sister.” Francesca Tronieri, Gamma Phi.

75% of all mental health conditions begin by age 24 (NAMI)

50% of college students do not seek help for their mental health (Behind Happy Faces curriculum) 1 in 5 young adults experience a mental health condition (NAMI)

75% of young adults ages 18-24 have reported struggling with depression or anxiety during the pandemic (CDC)

Hotlines

Call 911 if you or a loved one are in immediate danger.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free and confidential support to persons experiencing suicidal crisis or emotional distress. The line is active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 800-273-TALK (8255)

When you text The Crisis Text Line, a trained Crisis Counselor responds. Centered on empathy, this counselor will listen and help you process through your feelings in the moment. Text HOME to 741741

The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ young people under 25. Trevor Lifeline: 1-866-488-7386 Trevor Text: Text START to 678-678

Educational Websites

Seizetheawkward.org

Thetrevorproject.org

Nami.org

Sources:

Behind Happy Faces Advisor Resource Series

Workshop 1- Face the Facts: Mental Health Overview

Workshop 2- Face Forward: Creating Effective Coping

Workshop 3- Face Reality: Mental Distress Warnings & How to Help

Workshop 4: Face the Mirror: Self Care for Advisors

Workshop 5- Face the Challenges: Handling Crisis Situations

1 Czeisler MÉ , Lane RI, Petrosky E, et al. Mental Health, Substance Use, and Suicidal Ideation During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, June 24–30, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:1049–1057. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6932a1

2 https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm

3 https://nami.org/Support-Education/Publications-Reports/Guides/Starting-the-Conversation/CollegeGuide

4 https://nami.org/Support-Education/Publications-Reports/Guides/Starting-the-Conversation/CollegeGuide

5 Behind Happy Faces curriculum