“Maintaining Mental Health in the Midst of Quarantine”

By: Ciaren Rounds

Quarantine has been EXTREMELY burdensome. There’s really no other way to describe it. No in-person school, no crowds, mask mandates (pretty much everywhere we go). The somber result of these effects? Our mental health deteriorates.

One of the biggest things we have all been dealing with this past year is figuring out who we are as individuals—in other words, our identity. And as isolating as it’s been, quarantine has been the perfect time for character development. Discovering which friends are truly beneficial to your happiness, what clothes you like to wear, your sexuality, and understanding what we value in general.

I have witnessed so many people—including myself—experience issues in every aspect of life. There are times where you just sit there and think to yourself, “How do I move forward? How do I push through this? I am so unhappy right now and it seems like nothing is ever going to get better.” Well, let’s face it: it’s hard to have hope when you can’t have face-to-face conversations; just sitting and talking to someone on the phone or over Zoom is nowhere near the same. It’s exhausting to try to convey how you feel to people over a mere screen. It gets to a point where you feel so alone and honestly, you feel as if it would be easier to keep it all to yourself.

As cliche as it may sound, you aren’t alone. The more you communicate with others and tell them about your feelings, the better you’re going to feel, and the better life is going to be. Reaching out to someone is one of the most important and rewarding things you can do in the midst of this pandemic. Although you might feel like nobody will listen, there is always someone out there that will. Reaching out to friends can start out as little as sending someone a funny TikTok. It allows for a conversation to be started and you may be comfortable enough to talk about your struggles later on. If you find it hard to reach out to friends, the counselors at our school are an easy and accessible way to find someone to talk to. Visit the Jackson High School Homepage and click on Snackchats with counselors, there are scheduled times during the week you can meet and discuss anything with our counselors. Remember that your feelings are valid, you are loved, and you matter.

Linked down below are more ways to reach out if you are in need of help:

https://www.stopitnow.org/ohc-content/crisis-hotlines