Mumbai: There is a sudden increase in the number of students seeking help Consultant After covid pandemic prompted the administration of IIT-Bombay To hire more of them. While the institute had about six counselors before the pandemic, it now plans to hire almost double that number.
The wellness center at St. Xavier’s College had only one counselor for a long time. Four months ago, the college felt the need to bring in another counselor for the center as there was an unusual increase in the number of students seeking help.
These are not isolated incidents. Psychiatrists and psychologists across the city are seeing a rise in mental health cases following the pandemic. Symptoms include irritability, anger, being overly sensitive about minor issues, over reacting to minor setbacks and distress over academics, etc.
Father Francis de Mello of Xavier’s Wellness Center said that although this number does not exceed 5% of the total student population on campus, it is an unusual increase compared to the years before the pandemic. More than 50 percent of students who visit the center complain of family problems. “There are problems at home, misunderstandings in relationships with friends and boy-girl issues. In many cases, students complain that they are unable to do anything and have no energy. There are cases of intense overthinking. These issues were always there, but they seem to have escalated,” Fr De Mello said. The question of what lies ahead for their academic future also worries many students, he added.
An IIT-B professor said, “Counselors are allowed to counsel only eight to 10 students in a day. Many students do not get placements as there is a flood of requests for counsellors. So, we appoint more are planning to do.
They said they expect to have roughly double the number of counselors they had on campus before the pandemic, adding some may be on a part-time basis.
Psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty said, “There has been a 300% increase in mental health cases after the pandemic. Long imprisonment behind closed doors is the most important reason. Financial issues, loss of loved ones and interruption of educational activities have fueled this,” he said. He said that incidents of self-harm have also increased.
He said many families feel lost as the frequency of crises has increased among adults as well. Teachers and parents are reporting increasing cases of aggression, excessive withdrawal and an increase in fights in schools.
A professor at IIT-Bombay said that many students who join the institute find it difficult to deal with the pressure. “They start their IIT and NEET preparation at a very young age, sometimes even when they are in class VI or VIII due to the occurrence of coaching classes, and by the time they clear the entrance exam and get into the institute By the time they manage to do it, they are already burnt out. Outside. Soon after admission, they face mid-semester exams in two months, and their poor performance can affect their mental health,” said the professor.
The wellness center at St. Xavier’s College had only one counselor for a long time. Four months ago, the college felt the need to bring in another counselor for the center as there was an unusual increase in the number of students seeking help.
These are not isolated incidents. Psychiatrists and psychologists across the city are seeing a rise in mental health cases following the pandemic. Symptoms include irritability, anger, being overly sensitive about minor issues, over reacting to minor setbacks and distress over academics, etc.
Father Francis de Mello of Xavier’s Wellness Center said that although this number does not exceed 5% of the total student population on campus, it is an unusual increase compared to the years before the pandemic. More than 50 percent of students who visit the center complain of family problems. “There are problems at home, misunderstandings in relationships with friends and boy-girl issues. In many cases, students complain that they are unable to do anything and have no energy. There are cases of intense overthinking. These issues were always there, but they seem to have escalated,” Fr De Mello said. The question of what lies ahead for their academic future also worries many students, he added.
An IIT-B professor said, “Counselors are allowed to counsel only eight to 10 students in a day. Many students do not get placements as there is a flood of requests for counsellors. So, we appoint more are planning to do.
They said they expect to have roughly double the number of counselors they had on campus before the pandemic, adding some may be on a part-time basis.
Psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty said, “There has been a 300% increase in mental health cases after the pandemic. Long imprisonment behind closed doors is the most important reason. Financial issues, loss of loved ones and interruption of educational activities have fueled this,” he said. He said that incidents of self-harm have also increased.
He said many families feel lost as the frequency of crises has increased among adults as well. Teachers and parents are reporting increasing cases of aggression, excessive withdrawal and an increase in fights in schools.
A professor at IIT-Bombay said that many students who join the institute find it difficult to deal with the pressure. “They start their IIT and NEET preparation at a very young age, sometimes even when they are in class VI or VIII due to the occurrence of coaching classes, and by the time they clear the entrance exam and get into the institute By the time they manage to do it, they are already burnt out. Outside. Soon after admission, they face mid-semester exams in two months, and their poor performance can affect their mental health,” said the professor.