Smuel Afolayan: Afolayan poses to represent a depiction of depression on SAIT campus on Friday, Oct. 25. There are thousands of people that struggle with depression every day.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in disagreements that tore families apart, according to one Calgary registered provisional psychologist.
“I’ve seen people who just wanted to do their thing and be independent,” says Jamie Grossklaus. “And that really brought on a lot of stress for them, as well as for their friends and family.”
Many Calgarians are currently dealing with mental illness, according to Grossklaus. Regardless of age, many people have experienced mental trauma due to the pandemic.
Grossklaus said some teens didn’t have the same school experiences that most people consider to be a normal part of growing up. As a result, they were unable to engage with their classmates and missed out on several social developmental stages.
Seniors have also faced similar difficulties. According to Grossklaus, some seniors have found it challenging to live out their final days in a delightful, joyous way due to the severe physical and psychological stresses.
Even if some individuals claim they don’t feel lonely, unhappy, excluded, unheard, or unnoticed, Grossklaus noted that loneliness is prevalent.
“We often force our own agenda on people, sometimes, and it’s not actually the help that they want. So, we can kind of let go of ourselves and make it more about the person,” said Grossklaus.
“Just acknowledge; let them know we’re here if they need anything, and that if they don’t, right now, I can respect that.”
Pavni Dada, a law student, says she has seen many of her classmates struggle.
“Most of the college-going students have faced several mental issues as the result of the number of deaths in the family or society,” said Dada. “The fear of losing their own people have left a significant question of ‘are they going to end up alone?’ on their mind.”
“Mental wellness is vital to physical health.”
