College Students and the Pandemic

In 2019, Anthony Rostain, MD, Chief and Chair of the Dept. of Psychiatry at Cooper University Health Care, penned a book, “The Stressed Years of Their Lives: Helping Your Kid Survive and Thrive During Their College Years.”  With the pandemic, has come increased mental health difficulties for college students. In a recent article for the Penn Gazette, he encourages students to take a break from the screen and to create a normal sleep-wake cycle. For those college students at home, he advises parent that they “have to acknowledge that this is not something you can make go away for your kid” and that parents have to toe a fine line between rigid rules preventing young people from socializing and an overly cheery outlook trying to assure them that things will get better. He states, “A lot of COVID college kids are kind of feeling like they’re going through something that’s not only making life harder but that’s screwing up their future.”  There is cause for concern, as research from the CDC for June 2020, found that one in four people aged 18 to 24 seriously contemplated suicide. Colleges are taking action and stepping up. They are creating Wellness Centers and student led interventions. It is important for parents to understand the mental health services available at college.  Here is an article about what one college did to take action.  https://thepenngazette.com/wellness-warriors/