College Students Feeling the Strain of Social Distancing

*The following is excerpted from an online article posted on HealthDay.

The lives of college students have been turned upside down due to the coronavirus pandemic, so an expert offers some advice to help them cope with the situation.

Along with having to switch from in-person classes to online sessions, students have lost many other parts of their daily routine, so it’s important to maintain a “foundation of coping skills” such as good sleep habits, healthy eating, self-care and taking breaks from screen time, said Caitlin Nevins, director of psychological services at McLean Hospital’s College Mental Health Program in Belmont, Mass.

Students also need to seek mental health support if they feel they need it. Even if they can’t get an in-person session, assistance may be available over the phone and through telehealth.

While it’s important to stay informed about the coronavirus pandemic, students have to recognize when to take a break from stressful news by reading, watching a movie, or joking with friends. This will boost resiliency to the deluge of upsetting news.

Many students are isolated. To stay connected with others, they can move beyond texting or social media to more interpersonal communications, such as phone or video calls with friends. Nevins suggests making plans to watch shows together remotely or participate in other digital forms of dorm activities. Get creative about maintaining crucial social connections when it’s not possible to get together in person, she said.

Source: HealthDay
https://consumer.healthday.com/infectious-disease-information-21/coronavirus-1008/college-students-feeling-the-strain-of-social-distancing-756261.html