How Has The COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted College Students with Mental Illnesses?
Who is Being Affected?
The pie chart to the left shows the percentage of U.S. adults who had a mental illness in 2018. In total it is about 27.4%. This is a significant portion of our population who are more likely to need therapy, counseling, medication, inpatient care, or outpatient care. Under normal circumstances, these services are often hard to obtain due to their cost, availability, and accessibility. In 2018, only 43.3% of people with a mental illness received treatment and the average time between the display of symptoms and treatment was 11 years (NAMI).
{Figure 2: Pie chart depicting the number of U.S. Adults who experienced a mental illness in 2018, about 27.4%. Created by Genevieve Burke using Google Sheets. Source: NAMI]
The pie chart to the right shows the percentage of U.S. adults who reported a negative impact on their mental health due to the stress of COVID-19, about 45% (Panchal et al.) Not all of these adults are experiencing mental illness, but a larger than normal percentage unquestionably is. This also suggests that those who previously had a mental illness are also experiencing a negative impact on their mental health. This can have much more serious consequences for people with more severe mental illnesses, such as the need for hospitalization, or a change or increase in medication. These services are especially hard to acquire right now.
[Figure 3: Pie chart depicting 45% of U.S. Adults experiencing a major negative impact on their mental health due to Corona Virus. Created by Genevieve Burke on Google Sheets. Source: The Henry J, Kaiser Family Foundation]
How Have Public Institutions Reacted Thus Far?
Since the closing of school in March, many services for people with mental illnesses have switched to an online platform. Many colleges and other institutions have acknowledged that the stress of the out break and social isolation will have a significant impact on the mental health of individuals. One way to deal with this is utilizing platforms like Zoom, Skype, and doxy.me. However, these programs take time to set up and master. Mental health professionals also have the responsibility to follow HIPAA privacy laws, meaning they must use platforms that are secure and private and will not be recorded. Below is a timeline of UMass Lowell's reaction to the out break and its impact on mental health. This is an example of the way an institution needs to use multiple platforms to accommodate the needs of students, and the time it takes to do so.
What are Teletherapy and Telehealth?
Telehealth refers to any type of healthcare done remotely via the phone or internet. Teletherapy specifically refers to therapy done over the phone or internet. There are many platform options available for both telehealth and teletherapy. As shown in figure 4 above, UMass Lowell is using Skype Business for their counseling appointments. Platforms for class, like Zoom, are not sufficient for Telehealth because anyone can gain access to a call and the call can be recorded. This leaves the patient's information and privacy at risk. Skype Business has a "private conversations" feature that uses encryption to keep the users' information private ("Features"). This is a great feature, but there are even better platforms, such as Doxy.me for telehealth appointments. Doxy.me is made specifically for telehealth. The doctor, therapist, or counselor simply sends their patient an email the day of the appointment with a link to a virtual waiting room. Once there, the patient provides their name, and the provider will begin their appointment at the scheduled time. Doxy.me is free to download, free to use, it meets global security guidelines and can be used world wide, and it abides to most privacy laws including HIPAA ("The Simple, Free, and Secure Telehealth Solution") . At the moment, Umass Lowell is only providing telehealth to students in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. They could expand this to all students by using a platform like doxy.me.
My Own Experience
I am a college student living with a mental illness, but my COVID-19 experience is extremely privileged. I live with my mother and commute to school, so when UMass Lowell switched to online learning, I was not forced to leave my dorm or apartment. I was diagnosed with my mental illness at 16, so I have learned to properly cope with it. My therapist was already well versed in Teletherapy, so the transition to online appointments went seamlessly. Social isolation has definitely made managing my mental illness more challenging, but I have a wonderful support system that is helping me through it, both in-person and online. I wanted to create this website because at one point in time I was completely unable to cope with my mental illness, and this was always exacerbated in times of change. I am very lucky to have a handle on my mind and emotions right now, but that is not true for everyone. COVID-19 has created a unique situation in which people who did not previously receive counseling or therapy may find it impossible to access it now. Those who already have a system in place may have had their system totally disrupted. If I find myself having a more difficult time coping, I can not imagine what it would be like for a student who was ripped away from their housing, forced to live with family or friends that may be not supportive, and made to deal with this rapidly changing situation alone. This is a huge problem that will outlast the virus. If people with mental illness do not receive the support they need when they are in a high-risk situation, it may have effects that can last the rest of their lifetime.
If You Are Currently In a Mental Health Crisis
If you are currently experiencing a mental health issue and need help, a great resource is the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). To the right is a list of numbers to call for support or information. If you have more questions about mental illness or how to help a friend or family member, their website has great information on mental health and how to provide support. The COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in significant impact to many individual's mental health. But just because we are not together does not mean we can't still help. All these resources are great options that can help anyone find the counseling or therapy services they need. If you are a student at UMass Lowell, I strongly encourage you to reach out to counseling services or attend the Zoom outreach programs.
[Figure 6: A bulleted list of numbers to call or text in the event of a mental health crisis. Created by Genevieve Burke using Google Slides. Source: NAMI]
Credits:
Created with images by Matthew McBrayer - "untitled image" • Matthew McBrayer - "untitled image" • Matthew McBrayer - "untitled image" • Matthew McBrayer - "untitled image" • Matthew McBrayer - "untitled image"