The negative impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the mental health of college students is becoming evident. Active Minds, Inc. is a U.S.-based nonprofit that aims to spread awareness of mental health for students. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, a survey carried out by this nonprofit in April revealed that 80% of the 2,086 participants have experienced a decline in their mental health as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
Additionally, a survey carried out by the Harris Poll for the National 4-H Council in May revealed that 70% of the 1,500 teenage respondents were experiencing some sort of mental health struggle and 61% were experiencing heightened loneliness. Survey respondents also noted that their daily screen time was at least nine hours, up from around six hours before the pandemic. These survey respondents were a diverse pool of nationwide participants who spanned the ages of 13 to 19.
As the COVID-19 crisis continues and young people’s mental health continues to suffer, it is more important than ever for young people to have access to mental health resources. If you would like to take a look at the ongoing collection of mental health data, check out the Household Pulse Survey data. Below is a directory of Mental Health Resources that we hope you find helpful during this especially challenging time. We have listed general resources at the top, but everything else is alphabetized by condition.
If there are any resources you are aware of, please feel free to share them with us, and we will add them to this list. Share this list with the people who you think would find support from it.
General Mental Health Services
Active Minds’ Statement for Colleges (COVID-19)
American College Health Association’s COVID Resource Library
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Aunt Bertha – find free or reduced services within your area
Baker College’s Student Resources for Maintaining Mental Health In College
Be Strong Start Your Recovery: Substance Abuse Resources & Support– free programs that help with coping with bullying, isolation, and mental health
Center for Online Education’s Mental Health Resources for college students organized by state
Give an Hour – connects military families to free mental health services and other resources
Medscape’s Psychiatry and Mental Health Topics
Mental Health America’s “Balancing Work and School”
Mental Health America’s Screening Tools
Open Counseling – find free or affordable counseling in your area
Owaves – a holistic calendar app designed to optimize your circadian rhythm
San Diego County COVID-19 Resources
Sharpen Colleges App (offers mental health resources to U.S. College Students for free until the end of August 2020)
Sista Afya’s Mental Health Directories
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s Treatment Locator
The Mental Health Coalition’s “Black, Indigenous, and People of Color” Mental Health Resources
The Tribe Wellness Community – Find a community based on your mental health needs
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ “Mental Health and Coping during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic”
Addiction/Substance Abuse
Help Guide’s Articles on Addiction
Online Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous
Start Your Recovery – resources for finding support for substance abuse
SAMHSA’s Find Treatment Tool
ADHD
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)’s ADHD Resource Center
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Section on ADHD
Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
Help Guide’s Articles on ADHD
Anxiety
Harvard Health Publishing’s “Learning Diaphragmatic Breathing”
Help Guide’s Articles on Anxiety
Mayo Clinic’s “COVID 19: Tips for Mindfulness and Coping with Anxiety”
The Wellness Society’s Coronavirus Anxiety Workbook
The Wellness Society’s free Coronavirus Anxiety Online Course (created in partnership with a mental health charity called Mind–this is an adaptation of the workbook)
Autism
Autism Speaks’ Autism Response Team (ART)
Autism Speaks’ Resources and Services for Adults with Autism
Help Guide’s Articles on Autism
The Asperger/Autism Network’s Resources for Adults
Bipolar Disorder
AACAP’s Bipolar Disorder Resource Center
Help Guide’s Articles on Bipolar Disorder
National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder
Burnout
Duke Center for Healthcare Safety and Quality’s Resilience Tools (specifically intended for healthcare workers)
Help Guide’s Article on Burnout Prevention and Treatment
Workplace Strategies for Mental Health’s “Burnout Response”
Depression
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
HeadsUpGuys – preventative tools and coping strategies for men for dealing with depression
Help Guide’s Articles on Depression
Mental Health America’s “Depression Support and Advocacy”
Domestic Abuse
Fort Refuge’s Abuse Survivors Chat Community
Love is Respect– text for supportive resources regarding abusive relationships
The Center for Relationship Abuse Awareness
Eating Disorders
Help Guide’s Articles on Eating Disorders
Financial Health and/or Job Stress
Federal Trade Commission’s Coping with Debt
Get your Refund– free tax filing
mRelief– Information about food stamps
National Endowment for Financial Education
School Closures – resources (food, childcare, home schooling)
Grief
CDC’s Page on Grief & Loss
Help Guide’s Articles on Grief & Loss
National Institutes of Health News in Health’s “Coping with Grief”
Healthcare
Health Resources & Services Administration’s Health Centers Database
National Public Radio’s “Coronavirus Reset: How to Get Health Insurance Now”
Patient Access Network Foundation
Housing
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s “Mortgage and Housing Assistance During the Coronavirus National Emergency”
US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Housing and Homeless Assistance
Loneliness
Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness
Hartford Healthcare’s “The Loneliness of COVID-19”
Healthline’s “How to Deal with Loneliness”
Humana’s “Loneliness Toolkit”
Mass.gov’s “Managing Isolation and Loneliness During COVID-19”
OCD
OCD Challenge – free program to help you manage your OCD
Postpartum Depression
Help Guide’s Article on Postpartum Depression
Postpartum Support International
PTSD
Help Guide’s Articles on PTSD & Trauma
PTSD Coach (App for adults and teens)
Schizophrenia
Help Guide’s Articles on Schizophrenia
SARDAA’s Schizophrenia App
Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America (SARDAA)
Sleep Disorders
American Sleep Association’s Section on Insomnia
Center for Clinical Interventions’ Sleep Hygiene Tips
Owaves – a holistic calendar designed to optimize your circadian rhythm
Sleep Disorder Support Groups
SleepEducation.org (provided by American Academy of Sleep Medicine)
Stress
Duke Human Resources’ “How to Manage Stress”
Help Guide’s Articles on Stress Management
Mayo Clinic’s “Exercise and Stress: Get Moving to Manage Stress”
Suicide Prevention
American Association of Suicidology
Crisis Text Line (text 741741)
Help Guide’s Articles on Suicide Prevention