University of Iceland psychologists say it is normal to be sad, RÚV reports. Ásta Rún Valgerðardóttir and Katrín Sverrisdóttir, who are psychologists at the University of Iceland, appeared on Mannlegi Rásar 1 to discuss students’ mental health.
According to a survey conducted by the Student Council, 62% of students do not feel well. In addition, 72% of students felt that they were under a lot of pressure. This survey was conducted in October this year. Although being a student is certainly a stressful task in itself, the normal stressors of college life have certainly intensified in the wake of the pandemic.
Ásta Rún states that because university life has changed, students may feel less connected. Lack of connection due to coronary heart disease can make students feel unwell and unformed. Despite this, Ásta Rún and Katrín say that they like the resilience of students who work hard to be aware of their mental health and seek treatment to combat the psychological effects of surviving the pandemic. They say that being sad is a natural response to stressful situations and life events.
The university has seen a large increase in requests for mental health services at the university (perhaps partly because the University of Iceland already houses a record number of new students this year, the number that is to increase in 2021).
In order to give students access, the mental health team has hired a new psychologist. In addition, the universities’ mental health services are being reshuffled for next year. It is hoped that students will not have to wait more than one month before receiving treatment.
Source: The Nordic Page