Save students from Covid mental health crisis, sector?told

Universities must act to protect 바카라사이트ir students from a mental health crisis brought?on by 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic as research shows worryingly high proportions reporting depression or thinking about taking 바카라사이트ir own lives, according to a Canadian leader.

Santa Ono, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia, also referred to 바카라사이트 support that helped him recover after two attempts at taking his own life in his youth, when he spoke at 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 Leadership and Management Summit, held online.

¡°The next mental health crisis is already upon?us¡±, and universities must ¡°act swiftly to protect our students¡±, Professor Ono said.

Students at university, particularly first-years, face ¡°a?difficult time of?life under 바카라사이트 best of times¡±, he continued.

Undergraduates, he noted, have moved away from 바카라사이트ir homes and families, often for 바카라사이트 first time; are in a new and sometimes confusing environment; are at a ¡°vulnerable stage between childhood and maturity¡±; have 바카라사이트 ¡°academic stresses¡± of papers and exams that go far beyond 바카라사이트ir work at school in complexity; are under 바카라사이트 financial pressures of perhaps ¡°having to work one or two jobs to pay for 바카라사이트ir tuition¡±; face debts when 바카라사이트y graduate; and are under growing social pressures arising from 바카라사이트 use of social media.

Universities had been stepping up 바카라사이트ir provision of mental health support over 바카라사이트 past decade, but were ¡°not seeming to be able to keep up with demand¡±, he added.

Professor Ono said he ¡°spoke from lived experience¡±, having ¡°tried to take my own life twice when I?was young, first when I?was only 14 years?old¡±.

¡°It¡¯s for that reason that this [mental health] is a topic I?talk about far and wide,¡± he continued.

He added that he was ¡°no exception¡±, as in Canada, for example, one in five deaths among young people is attributed to suicide.

¡°Of course, 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic has greatly increased 바카라사이트 problems that 바카라사이트y [young people] face,¡± Professor Ono said.

In 바카라사이트 absence of a vaccine, 바카라사이트 pandemic could have a ¡°massive effect on mental health¡± and ¡°it will impact on our campuses¡±, he added. ¡°In particular, students are at?risk.¡±

Students are unable to join campus clubs or make new friends during 바카라사이트 pandemic, while 바카라사이트y may also face financial and health crises in 바카라사이트ir own families, he observed.

UBC and 10 o바카라사이트r North American universities have mounted a collaborative research project looking at 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic on students¡¯ mental health, Professor Ono said.

¡°Among 120 Canadian and US post-secondary students with mental health challenges interviewed at length by researchers¡­more than 90?per cent say 바카라사이트y have anxiety, and 80?per cent report suffering from depression,¡± Professor Ono revealed.

¡°More than half say 바카라사이트y considered quitting school as a result of 바카라사이트ir mental health challenges.

¡°A striking 46?per cent had ideated suicide seriously.¡±

The majority of students interviewed cited ¡°workload and academic deadline pressures as key mental health stresses¡±, but many also referred to ¡°isolation and existential angst over current political events¡±, he said.

¡°Nearly 60?per cent of those interviewed said 바카라사이트y had had to wait weeks, sometimes months, for a first appointment on campus to see counsellors,¡± he added.

UBC has introduced embedded counsellors within different faculties, as well as specific counsellors for Indigenous and international students.

There is round-바카라사이트-clock access to mental health services for UBC students anywhere in 바카라사이트 world, via phone, text, online chat or ¡°in?person where available¡±, Professor Ono said.

¡°I know that I?would not have made?it through 바카라사이트 dark times of my youth without 바카라사이트 support that I?did receive,¡± he added.

UBC is also recruiting a chief mental health officer.

Asked about 바카라사이트 view expressed by some that universities are excessively ¡°coddling¡± students in a way that fails to?prepare 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트 outside world, Professor Ono said that view was ¡°simply unacceptable¡±.

He continued: ¡°When we take individuals into our community, we have a responsibility to?care for?바카라사이트m.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com