Overcoming 2020 and mental health stigma

Paulina Longoria | THE RIDER

Today begins another semester. Some may feel ready and motivated, while others anxious or nervous, and there’s nothing wrong with feeling either way.

From Aug. 16 to 30, 2020, The Jed Foundation, a nonprofit organization that protects emotional health,  conducted an online survey with college students across the U.S. about their readiness to start the Fall 2020 semester and mental health concerns. The survey obtained responses from 182 undergraduate (90%) and graduate students (10%) from 79 colleges and universities, according to its website. 

“A high proportion of students are dealing with anxiety (82%), followed by social isolation/loneliness (68%), depression (63%), trouble concentrating (62%), and difficulty coping with stress in a healthy way (60%),” the survey’s summary of findings stated.

I was not part of the survey, but I am a college student in the U.S. who dealt with all of the findings mentioned during Fall 2020. And Leah Ellis, a supervising clinical therapist at the UTRGV Counseling Center, said that many students at UTRGV felt the same way and started seeking therapy.

Ellis explained that when the pandemic began and everyone was sent to work and study from home last March, the number of students reaching out to the Counseling Center decreased. However, a change occurred during the summer, when the number of students making appointments increased. Now, the center is expecting to see more students this semester than in past semesters.

“We are seeing a lot of students coming in, struggling with isolation,” she said. “It can certainly complicate and aggravate mood symptoms. … Students who maybe already had some anxiety or depression, and some … under the situation of being stuck at home, maybe in a non-ideal situation, had started to have mood symptoms that they have not experienced in the past.”

Ellis also said it is important to try to find a way to maintain social connections safely, such as interacting with others online. She advises students to take advantage of the Rio Grande Valley’s weather to go outside to exercise or take a walk and connect with nature.

It may be hard for some students to start therapy because of the stigma that exists within mental health illnesses or are also discouraged by parents who believe the best way to cope with emotional distress is to just “suck it up.” 

Ellis said the Counseling Center wants to challenge mental illness stigma and the misconceptions that therapy is for “crazy people.” 

“We definitely want to challenge that and let students know that they don’t have to do things on their own, and we can help them,” she said.

With the new year, a lot of people have set their goals and resolutions to accomplish, and that made me feel anxious. It made me feel like maybe I was going backward instead of moving forward with the others. One thing I know is that I want to leave the negativity and the “not-as-good” experiences of 2020 behind. 

“We feel how we feel, is what I would say,” Ellis said in response to how people may experience different feelings. “I think it’s important to look at it and acknowledge that this is a difficult situation, but then to look at it [as], ‘OK, what can I do to maybe start to increase my energy a little bit?’ Personal responsibility and action, I think, can make a big difference.”

After some reflection, I realized that everyone has their own pace because they take ownership of their lives. In other words, they become empowered, and that motivates people. It is completely normal to feel pressured, but a huge step to improving is reaching out for help. 

I may be experiencing anxiety and depression symptoms now that we are entering the semester, and I will not hide that I feel scared. But after seeking therapy, I now have the resources to not relapse like last semester.

For college students, attending a university that cares about their mental health is also important for their journey. The university offers resources, such as Therapy Assistance Online in which students can register with their UTRGV email address or use the TAO Mobile phone application. Thrive at UT is another app available for students in the UT System.

UTRGV students also have access to free therapy at the Counseling Center. Students can make an appointment for a screening evaluation so that the center can understand their needs and provide options, such as group therapy or individual sessions.