Stuck Between COVID and an Uncertain Future
Q&A with a Masters of Social Work Student Therapist
Transitioning into adulthood should be an exciting time in a young person’s life, but for many 18-25 year old’s, it has become a stressful and often painful experience. And it’s no wonder. No generation has had to tackle the same kind of uncertainty about their future.
How have young adults been affected by the pandemic?
This week, we posed this question to our Peachey Counselling and Family Support team member, Masters of Social Work Training Therapist, Claire Arkett, about the challenges facing what has been described as the ‘Covid Generation’. Being a young adult and graduate student herself, Claire had many thoughts about the topic of mental health and the crippling toll that COVID-19 is taking on those young people pursuing post-secondary education or starting their careers in the workforce.
Q: What are some of the specific issues / challenges that young people are currently facing?
A: As we have seen throughout the past year, this pandemic is affecting people in monumental ways. For students who are used to living alone and are now living with their parents, the change to their social structure is palpable. Many students may find themselves forced to live with their parents, as living on campus becomes infeasible and intimidating. Students hoping to escape their households by moving away are now faced with a much less appealing situation. Young people are struggling with their privacy and their sense of independence.
Their whole routine has been flipped on its head. As we are beginning to see, the campus lifestyle is a far cry from waking up and watching lecture in your pajamas. It is difficult for many students to establish some semblance of a routine in this environment. They often lack motivation and a sense of balance in their daily activities. Separation from friends and peers can cause many students to feel as if they are even more isolated. Many are asking an important question: “How do you make friends over Zoom?” With the rise of young adults using social media and other online sharing platforms, many young people can still become connected even if it's just through instant messaging. Unfortunately for many, screen fatigue and “zoom fatigue” is a tangible sentiment. Talking to a person over a screen is very different then the experience of sitting next to your peers in a classroom.
In addition to these challenges, many students are feeling the effects of last summer. Many students rely on the summer season for employment opportunities. Although CERB and other government grants were able to fill the hole of financial security, young adults feel that they have been “set back” in the face of a stagnant job market. Likewise, the psychological stress associated with possibly bringing the virus back to your family after attending work is taking a blow on young adults.
They are now faced with a forbidding paradox: working to advance their careers/futures, and not working to protect their families from a life-threatening virus.
Q: What sorts of mental health challenges should young adults be aware of when pursuing their careers?
A: Young adults should be aware that with our ever-changing environment, there is a higher likelihood of experiencing anxiety-related feelings. These feelings are not unexpected. Remember that a pandemic of this size and scale is the first of its kind in many years – if you are feeling overwhelmed and anxious about your trajectory in life, you are not alone! The tasks that you are confronted with right now are beyond the normal tasks students usually face. This is beyond starting a new job, a new school, or a new opportunity. With the pandemic, there is a double set of problems and expectations. Young people have the expectation to conform not only to the duties of their role, but also to the restrictions put in place in their province.
You cannot compare your past performance to your performance now! The variables affecting you currently are not the same as they were at the beginning of 2020. Young adults are feeling remorse. We have often heard the phrase that “your university/college years are the best years of your life” -- How does this past year of social distancing and lockdown compare? Social isolation provides a lacking substitute for those years in your early twenties that are supposed to “shape” your life. Because of this, young adults are experiencing an increase in depression, as isolation becomes “normal.”
Q: What should family or friends be aware of in support young individuals starting to build their new lives? How can they ensure that a young person is pursuing their future in a healthy way?
A: For family and friends of a young adult, it can be difficult to see them going through these struggles. Fortunately for us all we can relate to each other, as few have been able to escape the weight of the pandemic. For parents of young adults and students, remember to be extra patient and understanding – there are a whole slew of new pressures now placed on students that never existed before. Is important to reiterate to your child that they need to focus on and value their mental and physical health over their productivity.
Friends and family can be a safe space for a young person to feel supported. Try to become that place, so that they can come to you when they are struggling with a particular issue. Be available for them when they need you, as well as providing them with a sense of independence and control. You can do this by being open and honest with them about your feelings and reiterate to them that you are there if needed. Likewise, be mindful when your child/friend is beginning to pull away or act differently than usual.
Q: If you notice a young person is acting differently, what are some of the warning signs to watch out for?
A: Now that everyone is at home, it may be easier to observe each other's behaviors. There are a couple of telling behaviors that may indicate that a young adult is feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed...
Low Energy - this could manifest by sleeping in a lot, not wanting to go out (for walks, or even just to the grocery store), and a lack of motivation towards activities they used to enjoy.
Changes in appetite - eating more or less
Tense - outbursts, how they respond to situations, and attitude towards new stimulus.
Inability for them to handle the small things in life.
Q: What type of professional advice/tips can you offer to help?
A: One technique that I use on a weekly basis is establishing and sticking to a Self-Care Action Plan. This may sound a bit intimidating, but I assure you that it really looks different for everyone. You can decide what this plan looks like for you.
Creating a Self-Care Action Plan is relatively easy. Pick one main goal for yourself, and write it down on a sticky note, in a journal or diary, in the notes section on your phone, etc. Ask yourself the question: “What is one thing that I can do this week to attend to my well-being?”
Be honest about your answer. It can be something as small as remembering to brush your teeth twice a day instead of once, saying you will shower more often, or promising yourself to go for a walk at least once every two days. Make sure your goal is realistic and time bound. What I mean by this is to try not to set goals that you cannot keep. Make sure you give yourself a time period to achieve this in that is realistic for you and your schedule.
When feeling particularly overwhelmed, sometimes it can be helpful to even just attend to the simple things in life. I like to use self-soothing strategies that are tied into the five senses (taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound). When you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed, you can go back to this exercise. Some examples of self-soothing could include...
Petting your dog/cat
Holding a nice fabric in your hands
Using a fragrant lotion on your hands or body
Listening to a favorite music or song
Eating something that you really enjoy
Paying attention to something nice in your surroundings
To get started in your Self-Care Action Plan, you can promise yourself to use one or more of these self-soothing techniques during your week. Sometimes self-care can look like distraction – it may be as simple as keeping your mind occupied when your surroundings become too much to handle. Always find time to be kind to yourself!
When you are writing your self-care goals, also try to establish who you can reach out to for support. This can be your friends, parents, siblings etc.
Below are some distress/crisis lines for when you urgently need to speak to someone outside of your family/friends:
Oakville: 905-849-4541
Burlington: 905-681-1488
North Halton: 905-877-1211
Crisis Text Line
text HOME to 686868
support and information in any type of crisis with trained volunteers (does not provide medical advice)
Youth Space
text 778-783-0177
online chat
available 9 pm-3 am daily
a community of professionally-trained volunteers who are here to support you, whatever you are going through for ages 30 and under
COAST (Crisis Outreach and Support Team)
1-877-825-9011
TTY 1-844-646-1700
telephone support and mobile intervention program for those who are in crisis and have a mental health concern for ages 16 and up
Barrett Centre for Crisis Support
24-Hour Crisis Line: 905-529-7878
Toll-free: 1-844-777-3571
Q: What are some things that a social worker, counsellor, or therapist can do to help?
A: Now more than ever before – we're all experiencing the same crisis from different perspectives. Therapists can approach your situation from an outlook of understanding and compassion. They can provide you with a safe outside space for you to talk to. If you find the idea of creating a Self-Care Action plan to be a bit daunting, a therapist can help you make one. In fact, seeing a mental health professional weekly can be your goal to attend to your well-being.
Q: When is it time to see a professional?
A: When the stressors in your life become too much and your mental health is impacting your ability to function on the daily, it may be time to seek extra help. Throughout this pandemic, some have struggled more so than others. I believe that everyone comes with an inherent skill set with how to cope with their mental health. However, when the stressors of life outweigh your ability to cope with them, therapists can help you develop new skills. We can provide you with a space to release the tension that is weighing you down.
Sometimes this is all you need. Hang in there!
Whatever it is, we’re here for you.
Life is uncertain. Jobs are stressful. Parenting is hard. Relationships take work. Families can be dysfunctional. And, sometimes love hurts. When you’re confronted by feelings, events, or issues that are making your life challenging, it’s okay to ask for some help.
