Point to social media, shifting
cultural norms, COVID-19, all of the above or something else
entirely. No matter the cause, discussion around mental health has
taken a decisive turn in recent years. Not long ago,
therapy was often treated as a shame-laden secret, mentioned in
hushed tones if at all. Today, especially among
younger generations,
the practice is positively viewed as a practical tool for
self-improvement.
The popular reframing of mental health as an essential part of
one’s overall wellness has worked wonders for removing its
stigma, which has historically been among the biggest obstacles to
diagnosing and adequately caring for common mood, anxiety and eating
disorders. Still, according to Dr. Mary Ann Covey ’92, some old
obstacles remain, and a few new ones emerge.
Covey became director of Texas A&M University Counseling and
Psychological Services (CAPS) in 2018 but had been with the program
her entire career. “I’ve seen students’ mental health needs change
over time,” she said. Before COVID-19, the university’s steady
growth left CAPS staff struggling to meet students’ demand for
counseling services. Since the pandemic’s onset, that demand has
only risen as Aggies dealt with isolation under social distancing
measures amid the usual stresses of college life.
It stunted their ability to connect with each other. There was a
lag in development. The overall effect was that students didn’t
know how to communicate during personal conflicts.
Dr. Mary Ann Covey ‘92
Early after COVID-19’s arrival, the American Psychology Association
warned of a “second pandemic” of mental health problems spreading
across the nation. While definite research on these large-scale
effects is scarce, Covey has noticed some anecdotal patterns in
dealing with students firsthand. “It stunted their ability to
connect with each other,” she said. This year, many incoming
freshmen had spent much of their junior and senior years of high
school online, for instance. “There was a lag in development. The
overall effect was that students didn’t know how to communicate
during personal conflicts.
A plethora of students sought CAPS counselors for help with
relatively small dilemmas, like resolving roommate disputes, and
larger ones, like processing sociopolitical tensions. Meanwhile,
students grappling with long-term psychological diagnoses still
called upon CAPS for regular mental health care. Using these CAPS
resources and programs, Covey and her team encourage students from
all backgrounds and situations to ask for care from others and
empower them to care for themselves.
