Students report many mental issues, higher drug use due to Covid

More students are suffering from psychological problems, and they are also using more narcotics as a result of the coronavirus crisis. According to regular surveys about students' mental health and substance use, about a fourth of them even felt as if they were finished with life during the four-week research period.

More than half of the students surveyed said they experienced mental health problems or mental exhaustion, and more than a quarter were determined to be a heavy or excessive drinker. Almost all students (97 percent) experienced stress, half of whom said they felt a great deal of tension. Three in four also felt lonely, 80 percent of whom said it was because of the coronavirus pandemic. On average, students were barely willing to give their lives a passing score of 6 out of 10.

The research took place during the third coronavirus wave, which took place in the spring. At that time, students had to take online classes,  hospitality businesses and gyms were closed and there was a curfew. The study was run by the RIVM, the Trimbos Institute and GGD GHOR

Prevention measures must be made "with the greatest urgency." Problems must be identified at an early stage, and students with the issues identified earlier, including pressure to perform, must receive guidance, the Cabinet said. It will enter into discussions with educational institutions, students, student associations and sports associations to arrive at a broad and coherent approach.

"Stress and pressure among students come from several sides than just education. The financial situation of students and the prospects for students on the labor and housing market can also play a role. The approach must therefore be coherent," said the caretaker education minister, Ingrid van Engelshoven.

The national student union, LSVb, is shocked by the study, said union chair Ama Boahene. "Students feel a lot of pressure to graduate quickly, get high grades and build a good resume. The pressure is so high that it affects their sleep, study progress, and mental health. Students are resilient, but there is a border. Structural causes, such as pressure to perform, loneliness, and the [student] loan system must be tackled," she said.

Chair Lisanne de Roos of the Dutch National Students Association (ISO) said, "These figures show that we are dealing with a performance generation that mentally pays the bills caused by financial stress, inadequate guidance, and high social standards. An approach must be created that leads to an education system that contributes to the development of the students, not to their exhaustion."