Mental health and challenges in the age of Covid 19

From keeping social distance to staying home for hours and from attending online lectures to
giving online exams, no doubt, Covid-19 has created many challenges that require suitable
strategies and routine to cope with the mental health and stress full condition. Students are main
victim of Covid-19 as their learning process is highly affected due to lockdown, closing of
physical academics’ activities. Keeping the fact of mental stress due to pandemic, as mentioned
by author Ryan in his article “student mental health and self care in Covid 19” the strategies
followed by author give a suitable direction and a practical approach to cope with Covid 19 and
avoid mental illness like depression and anxiety. So, the narrative that going outside, have a
proper routine, talking to people, engaging into social media, checking news, are all suitable
strategies that Students or graduates can follow.

Going outside will add some crisp in the mood. Keeping the distance from the friends or
relatives we meet a talking to them in an open public park or soothing nature will remove the
stress from mind. It will recall that the boredom routine due to pandemic can be overcome by
seeing the nature of environment. Another example can be of going outside in the dawn, where
there will be less chances of crowd and less people will be available. Starting the day with
cherishing morning walk will create a sense of wellbeing in mental state of students or adults.
Hence, the strategy suits well to cope with the depressing situation of pandemic. The strategy
will connect students with a routine they used to follow before pandemic, considering the
standards of social distancing and proper sanitization.

No doubt, social media is the blessing in the isolated environment created by Covid-19. Talking
people online and using social media will connect people all time. For example, it will provide
students an opportunity to find new friends and check old friends. It will add value to the
relationship between people. However, internet also provides a platform to engage into group
activities. For example, zoom and skype give platform to make a group video calls.Playing video
games and engaging into group activities also provide good approach to fight depression
( Tishcoff, 2020) Students after their busy lectures will have a platform to video call their
colleagues and share study material and do discussion of exams and academic stuff. another
example is “making a joint schedule “students or adults can make a joint schedule to follow a
good routine for example they can share their day routine and help each other to follow the same.
Hence, this strategy also justifies the direction to cope with Covid-19. 

Moving on, author has pointed out a very productive strategy “have a routine”, according to
author, Ryan, having a proper routine also helps to reduce the mental stress (Tishcoff,2020). For
example, attending lectures, going on morning walk, talking to friends and making group calls
all set a proper routine that leaves no room for the students or graduates to stay alone or think
about the depression that pandemic has created. Other example can be, setting a time to sit with
family and share possible ways to avoid being a victim of Covid. Taking care of each family
member, giving them health awareness, updating them every news of possible measures against
Covid will combinedly create a sense of well being among family members. So, the idea of a
proper routine should be followed from school and university friends to family friends as well. In
addition, a proper routine also will help students in time management. For example, it helps to
manage time and do things in organised way rather in a disorganised manner.  Time management
will later help students once the pandemic is over and physical classes will start. Hence, a proper
routine is the suitable strategy to cope with depression and mental illness. 
In addition to above strategies, other strategies can also be followed to cope with the Covid-19
and maintain health stability. Nowadays, freelancing provides opportunities to students to bear
their expenses and earn some dollars. Courses like graphic and web-designing, digital marketing
play great role to earn money in the extra time and get some productive work. This strategy will
provide students not only soft skills but also make their routine less depressed. It will make them
more responsible and considerate and a gist of earning money will make their mind busy in
productive way. Moreover, gardening and planting the trees in the lawn area of home also proves
fruitful act of coping with mental health and maintain the happiness of mind.

In nut shell, Covid 19 poses serious challenges for mental health and balancing the life but the
above strategies form a clear direction to fight with the challenges and help each other by using
the advanced technology of internet, using the public parks and home areas to continue physical
exercises and engaging into money making work to keep mind busy and productive throughout
the routine.