mental + physical health
Unfortunately, there is little scholarship on how COVID-19 has affected the mental health people in the United States and abroad. Perhaps it is because we are still in the midst of the pandemic, but it is clear that the pandemic has majorly changed people routines and outlooks in regard to everyday life and thinking about the future.
In light of both the drastic change in routine and social life, it is not surprising the my contributors’ mental health and well-being would be directly impacted. That being said, the pandemic has been a period of social isolation, which for many has been the source of staleness, and fidgeting as we are social animals. For others, it has been an opportunity for self-reflection and improvement. There is no singular outcome of experience that people are facing in terms of mental health. However, apart from anti-Asian hate, the pandemic has certainly resulted in socioeconomic and academic pressures.
When asked about health during the pandemic, my contributors shared a wide range of responses relating to their physical and mental well beings. Numerous contributors felt that their mental health was affected due to fear of getting COVID. One contributor mentioned that they contracted COVID twice, so they were really worried about their family and their friends, and possibly getting it again:
In light of both the drastic change in routine and social life, it is not surprising the my contributors’ mental health and well-being would be directly impacted. That being said, the pandemic has been a period of social isolation, which for many has been the source of staleness, and fidgeting as we are social animals. For others, it has been an opportunity for self-reflection and improvement. There is no singular outcome of experience that people are facing in terms of mental health. However, apart from anti-Asian hate, the pandemic has certainly resulted in socioeconomic and academic pressures.
When asked about health during the pandemic, my contributors shared a wide range of responses relating to their physical and mental well beings. Numerous contributors felt that their mental health was affected due to fear of getting COVID. One contributor mentioned that they contracted COVID twice, so they were really worried about their family and their friends, and possibly getting it again:
My mental health has definitely plummeted down a lot, because--- my anxiety went up, this might be very personal as-- I take melatonin to sleep, because I wake up five times in the middle of the night. Cause my stress levels were that high, I can't explain what it was. Maybe it was the fact that, um, COVID is really scary. A lot of people I knew were getting sick left and right. (Alicia)
Others experienced the loss of loved ones during the pandemic:
Yeah, I uh, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety during the pandemic. It seems to be some sort of a universal experience. I've had to deal with grief... um, a friend of mine who went here, like passed away– (Zoombi)
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So, we work uh, Wuhan for [left untranscribed] TV, and, uh, and begin we make movie, you know, we was work together each other. We're good friend, and him dead. [...] This is so sad– (Anna)
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As shown in the above quotes, the pandemic took a serious toll on the mental health of some of my contributors. The quotes that follow detail these direct repercussions.
Many contributors mentioned that the COVID-19 pandemic heavily affected their motivation to do schoolwork:
Many contributors mentioned that the COVID-19 pandemic heavily affected their motivation to do schoolwork:
Um, I think, when I take the online class. My time schedule is totally upside down. Uh, and there is no peer pressure on me. So it make me like sometime lazy to study... Too lazy to study! And also when I check the social media it make me feel pretty bad. That interrupt a lot. (WeiDi)
Well, cause, uh, I mean the course online, did change a lot and, uh, give me a lot of like pressure on academic, so made get my mental health a little bit, I got depressed a lot [00:01:00] during that time. Yeah. (Xuan)
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Um, I think it was hard to differentiate between school time and free time, since we were all online. [...] for me, It was hard to then put a space that within my household... I’m, okay, I'm working here. And then also not be relaxing there? Since my mom's a professor, she would be teaching downstairs and I would have to either be in my room or in the living room. And that's both places where I do not do schoolwork. So when I did that, my motivation to do the schoolwork afterwards was very bad. (Naomi)
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Some contributors experienced drastic change in their sleep schedules:
It was very bad.... [...] I became a night person-- to the point that-- if I go to bed, anytime before midnight, I would always end up waking up after one or two hours, regardless of how tired I am. [00:03:00] So that, yeah, so that's affecting me even now. So having a messed up sleep schedule. It's really bad because my energy level is really low and inconsistent sleeping just makes me tired the whole day, and I still haven't been able to recover from that. And that started with COVID. (Moro)
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During the pandemic, I back to China and, uh, I study at-- at midnight and sleep at day and, I barely got out.... yeah-- I just stay at my home and, uh, you know, take the course which-- which is really depressing. (Xuan)
Cause we do the remote study--- right? And we have like with time difference like in China when America is like [left untranscribed] China is night. So w-- I have to like study in the night and sleep in the [left untranscribed] day, so-- [...] I can't hang out with my friend, cause we will have time difference. (Siyan)
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Many of my contributors experienced feelings of isolation during the pandemic:
Bigger problem from I can't back to China. [...] if uh, COVID-19 don't come here, [...] I-- I can go to China. And I come back here and go-- when I like, if I like-- I want to go and come back. But now I can't. I can't go back to China-- [...] Which make me sad.. Yeah? [...] You know, my friend, my family, my friends..... all at China. (Anna)
Um, my biggest challenge.... I think it was just not having, not being able to like interact with people like socially. [...] all you had [was] like social media or like texting and like that isn't the same. And then coming to college during like the pandemic, like last year... It was my freshman year, it was really hard meeting friends and meeting people [AND] clubs and student orgs couldn't meet in person. And then like our classes weren't in person. So I like didn't know anybody. (Sarah)
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Well, like last semester, like the winter--- my mental health is not that good cause like, you know, like, cause there's not much people in the campus and also like it's the winter and you don't really want to do and anything just want to stay in your like dorm and. Yeah, it's kind of lonely feel like that way and not good. Yeah. I don't really want to like, do my [00:02:00] class, do my homework. Yeah. (Eric)
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In China now, [00:01:00] we can't go out. So sometimes we--- our, mental health is uncomfortable, because we can't talk with my friends, or like go see a film with my friends, or have dinner. (DSM)
I think, yeah, it was definitely like being at home, like stuck. I was stuck at home for like a month? And I wasn't going out and, it was kind of like driving me crazy a little bit. Like, I felt really isolated and the only people I were, I was talking to is my mom and dad. And there wasn't a lot of things to do in Japan. So… (Karen)
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Also, being a remote student was not fun, very draining and tiring. I was socially distant from a lot of my [00:04:00] friends..... pun intended, but I felt disconnected from a lot of my friend groups, and when I was back on campus it was weird. (Alicia)
I guess I've tried being more.... It's-- it's kind of a weird thing of trying to be connected with people on the other side of the planet. You know, it's the more you're on Instagram, the more you know, like on video calling... the more weird and--- the stranger, it feels almost. Like a paradoxical. Even if you're talking every day, even if you're, , it's not the same you know? (Zoombi)
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Others, however, felt that their social life was not impacted:
Uh, I think there's still no big difference because before the pandemic I was used to being alone. Yeah. My hobby is like reading books or playing video games-- just by myself. And I, I don't have many friends. I just have like [untranscribed], very close friends.[...] So after a pandemic, we just do the same thing,[...] Yeah. (Zhongting)
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So I had no social life at all cause I was studying at home. Which was actually pretty good for me-- cause I'm an introvert, I like, like staying alone, but mental health wise, since I didn't go out at all, like I didn't get fresh air every day. So I would get stuck with my assignments the whole day.... and then I would forget to like, [00:02:00] go look outside and know that there's a world-- and like get some fresh air. Right. But other than that, I think it was like, decent. (Moro)
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Physical health was another aspect emphasized by my contributors:
Well, actually I eat too much meat and lack of sport made me become fatter--- during the COVID... Yeah, that's the most significant impact of me [00:02:00] because I can't go outside. And when I go back to China, I need to isolate for about one month. And one month I stay in my room and play some computer games, and eat some junk food. Yeah. (Little Orange)
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Yeah, keep staying at home and, um, and the second is to keep my body shape or like, weight, you know...Cause, if you stay at home, you can't do anything you want. Like, you just can have lunch, have breakfast, have dinner-- and you don't do some sports. Yeah. [...] So, the weight problem became the biggest problem for me. I increased uh, 15 kilogram (DSM)
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Other contributors felt that they were able pay more attention to their physical health during the pandemic:
Uh, I think I like, uh, eat more vegetables and fruits and, uh, get up already-- sleep early. And sometimes do some sports too, to keep good health. Cause I didn't got a good body. I mean, before the pandemic, I always feel sick, like a cold or fever. Yeah. Maybe two times a year. Yeah. I got probably so after the pandemic I should take care of my body--- more..... You know what I mean? (Zhongting)
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In my lifestyle? I began to go to gym more frequently. Like I exercise, a lot to keep me strong. Don't get sick. Yeah. Yeah. And also when I take the online class, I had to get up at like 2:00 or 3:00 AM. Yeah. Cause there are like 12 hours time different between. Yeah. (WeiDi)
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During the pandemic, there is no singular factor that impacts mental health. And there is also not a definite outcome of positive or negative effects. Some students felt that they were able to spend more time on themselves, prioritize sleep, and make sure they were paying more attention to their mental and physical health, while others felt that the pandemic exacerbated existing mental health issues, and created new ones, and it put pressure on their physical health. The overall change in routine for a lot of contributors affected their lives in big ways. Some students experienced a change in their sleeping schedule, which resulted in a change in their social life, and ability to hang out with their friends. Some contributors felt isolated, and this also made it difficult for them to be motivated to do work or schoolwork.
Many contributors shared that when trying to cope with isolation they turned to digital devices, and social media for communication and connection, however, while communication via electronic devices is convenient and useful, it is just not the same. Additionally, after spending prolonged periods on their devices for online work or classes, it made it difficult to turn to devices for downtime or seeing friends.
Many contributors shared that when trying to cope with isolation they turned to digital devices, and social media for communication and connection, however, while communication via electronic devices is convenient and useful, it is just not the same. Additionally, after spending prolonged periods on their devices for online work or classes, it made it difficult to turn to devices for downtime or seeing friends.
As a result of the pandemic, independent variables such as general anxiety, change in social life, isolation, depression, and academic pressures, all interacted with each other to influence and impact the state of my contributor’s wellbeing and mental health. Unfortunately, all of these issues were being dealt (or not dealt) with simultaneously. And to make it more complicated, my contributors had to work through these issues in relative or virtual isolation. As seen in the next section, a few contributors noted that they wanted to find resources to help themselves or others during the pandemic, but they found it difficult because of lack of representation and comfortability with the existing resources.