As colleges return to normal, mental health issues linger
Staff reports
Hello and welcome to Coronavirus Watch. This is reporter Rachel Wegner.
When COVID-19 turned the world upside down last spring, college students like Saniya Soni had to operate in an entirely new reality. She finished her bachelor s degree last month and moved on to a full-time job in the tech sector.
In the process, her mental health took a significant hit. The sudden changes and isolation that accompanied the pandemic aggravated her ongoing struggle with depression and anxiety.
She’s far from the only one.
Numerous studies conducted since March 2020 have shown a spike in depression among college-age young adults and an increase in anti-depressant drug refills. As these students graduate and join the workforce, they do so without the free or inexpensive mental health care available at colleges.