Business

Impact of lockdown in the UK on students’ mental health

The Manc - 8th February 2021

Just as scientists successfully created vaccines for the Covid-19 Coronavirus, a new strain of the same has rattled the UK. To cope with the new developments and stop the spread of the virus, authorities had no other choice but to declare the UK quarantine extended. Different nations are expected to go back to their normalcy with the new lockdown rules in different schedules. However, the negative impact of the lockdown in students’ schools and colleges and comprehensive education remains the same everywhere. 

Most scholars have been forced to stay indoors in the comfort of their homes. But they have been asking the question, “When is the UK lockdown over?” Thankfully, online lessons are still ongoing. As part of their academic course, teachers have been handing out assignments for scholars to work on during the quarantine. However, working from home is different from working in class, and students may require help on their assignments from a third party. One may seek help from Writix – writing service that can deliver custom written essays for scholars. These assignments often add up to students’ overall grades and must, therefore, be fulfilled to a high standard. 

Even though academic institutions are doing their best to resume normal lessons as part of their scholars’ education, we cannot deny the negative impacts of the UK’s lockdown on students’ mental health. 

Mental health in lockdown 

Several studies in the UK show that scholars have been feeling confused and disrupted by the current situation. A recent COVID-19 pandemic study in the UK suggests that the levels of distress were too high in young adults. This may have been due to the increased consumption of social media, as young people are hooked to their smartphones while in isolation. 

The study also shows that UK teenagers have been feeling more anxious than they normally did before the pandemic hit. The level of anxiety has been reported to be higher among mixed-race and black participants. The well-being of such scholars has also been impacted. They have agreed that the fear of stigma and the stigma experienced by young people is a risk factor for maintaining social support mechanisms. 

Loneliness leads to mental health problems 

Out of all the factors contributing to such anxiety and mental disarray, loneliness has been identified as the critical factor. While in school and colleges, students interact with several other people and form meaningful bonds. The lack of such healthy interaction has increased the potential for young people to feel lonely and developmental health problems. In the UK, evidence shows that young people aged 18 to 24 experienced loneliness the most. Another survey suggests that 50% of young adults aged 16 to 24 have experienced lockdown loneliness. 

The loss of peer group support during one’s developmental stages can have an overall impact on one’s mental health and physical development. One’s interaction with other healthy young adults also contributes to their brain development and self-concept construction, which has since been obstructed due to their being confined to their homes. 

Supporting one’s well-being 

Several studies suggest that individuals who keep in regular touch with their family and friends through the internet and get ample physical exercise do better than those who don’t. Taking the time to work on one’s well-being can have a positive effect on their mental health. During quarantine any student has enough time both to find their favourite sport and to do some research. Individuals may be able to cope up with the current situation for now, but their mental health may only bounce back to its usual self when things go back to normal, at least in terms of having their regular routine filled up with various activities.

Policymakers and academic institutions must do their best to help young people develop their mental and physical health while confined. Since it is easy for one to get anxious during such challenging times, there must be multisectoral and multidisciplinary responses to ease such groups’ anxieties broadly.