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Psychological effects of lockdown
STUDENTS COPE WITH THE MENTAL EFFECTS OF ISOLATION Virtual Growing Pains
ALL CLASSES END the same way: a curt nod from the teacher, a wave of goodbyes from classmates, and a Zoom call of 30 participants disbanded within seconds. Junior Kyoka Hiroshima watches as her classmates’ faces disappear one by one until she is left alone — facing her blank laptop screen.
Hiroshima is one of many students experiencing heightened feelings of loneliness and a loss of motivation due to the isolation that has come with the COVID-19 pandemic. With online school playing a key role in increasing seclusion from friends and family, students and experts have shared valuable strategies for making online learning and post-pandemic life easier.
Mental health decline
The recent lockdown has changed the lives of many, from drastic shifts in daily routines to the mental health of students. Over the past year, Palo Alto High School Sources of Strength club member and senior Sabrina Chan has observed a worsening in students’ stress levels and overall emotional wellbeing.
“I do see that there’s [an] overall decline in mental health,” Chan said. “For a lot of people, it [the pandemic] is like this never ending tunnel which can really take a toll on your mental health, especially when you rely on social interactions to help keep your mental health stable.”
This change was also noticed by Paly Advanced Placement Psychology teacher Christopher Farina.
“Overall, we are seeing an uptick in all kinds of … negative mental health outcomes,” Farina said. “We are seeing more people endorsing symptoms of anxiety
Text by SASHA BOUDTCHENKO and ALLISON CHANG Art by SAMANTHA HO
[and] we are seeing an increase in the num- into normal life. ber of people that are reporting symptoms of depression.” Learning from loneliness
Since school transitioned to the dis- Despite the many hardships faced tance learning format, many students, in- during lockdown, some students have decluding Hiroshima, have experienced the veloped strategies to lessen the impacts wearisome nature of attending hours of of loneliness and improve their overall daily Zoom calls. well-being while in isolation.
“We used to have different school days Alternating between school and home everyday, constantly interacting with new during the distance learning format has people and fulfilling our need for social made it difficult for students to distinguish interaction,” Hiroshima said. “Now I can work from relaxation. Farina explained this barely remember what day it is. Every task concept from a psychological standpoint. feels so robotic and it’s so easy … [to] not “We know from psychology that your care about schoolwork because it [has] felt environment dictates a lot of your behavso useless the past 14 months.” ior and your cognition … that if you learn
Online learning has also limited op- something in a particular environmental portunities for students to spend time with context you’re best able to retrieve that their friends, further detaching them from information in that same context as well,” the outside world. For Chan, the string of Farina said. “It’s really helpful to be able to Zoom calls has socially confined her within have certain things happen in certain placher own home. “I don’t think I have even talked with my parents or my brother that much, because we’re just “ It’s too early to say if there will be any long-term impacts es and not others … if you are at your house, you have your room as a relaxing spot, then you could have anothall in our different rooms on calls the whole day,” from the sudden er desk… that is your work spot.” Chan said. “It just hit upheaval of normal, While separating me like, wow, this is what this year has come to — everyday life and spaces may help ease some stresses of onjust sitting in my bed- the extended line learning, many room on a call with 20 other people every hour.” isolation.” students experience difficulties that require
The extensive isola- — ELIZABETH SPECTOR, solutions that extend tion is beginning to raise Mental Health and beyond organization. concerns of the possi- Wellness coordinator Spector urges those ble long term effects of having a tough time to the pandemic on students’ mental health. reach out to a trusted adult and to find proElizabeth Spector, Paly’s Mental Health fessional support as soon as they can. and Wellness coordinator, mentioned the “Sometimes teens worry that their importance of acknowledging anxiety and problems aren’t ‘significant enough’ to wardepression that results from prolonged iso- rant therapy,” Spector said. “I want to dislation. However, both Spector and Farina pel that myth. Everyone can benefit from are unsure of whether these feelings will therapy, and the sooner you reach out, the persist after the lockdown orders are lifted. sooner you are able to address what is going
“It’s too early to say if there will be on and gain tools, skills and insights to help any long-term impacts from the sudden you cope.” upheaval of normal, everyday life and the She also reminded students to go at extended isolation,” Spector said. “Social their own pace and check in with themanxiety could increase and we anticipate selves as they readjust to normal life. some short-term impact on social skills for “Have your toolbox of coping skills children, teens and adults alike.” readily available,” Spector said. “By tackling
While experts are unsure about how the elements of your anxiety little by little, teenagers will be impacted long-term, teen- and setting small attainable goals, you will age resiliency leads Farina to predict that gain the confidence and skills to be able to most students will be able to readjust back overcome these fears.” v
