Election Impacts Student Mental Health
The 2020 presidential election and the stress it created had a large effect on the mental health of younger generations
By Isabella Klawitter
The 2020 presidential election and the stress it created had a large effect on the mental health of younger generations
By Isabella Klawitter
From COVID-19 to wildfires, mental health has gotten more complicated with the 2020 presidential election, a serious subject that has been overlooked this year. A study on the prior presidential election in 2016 by the American Psychological Association on Latino Early Adolescents’ Psychological and Physiological Responses has found that youth experienced changes in cortisol - a primary stress hormone, throughout the week of election. The findings conclude that elections are able to influence teens' mental health, meaning some students were affected by this year's election as well.
Ariana Lara, 12, has noticed friends and classmates' anxiety increase due to this year's election.
“I know a lot of my friends are either people of color, women, queer or all three. Because of that their fears of a white supremacist in office affected their mental health largely,” Lara said.
In recent years mental health has been getting more attention but there’s still stigmas pertaining about mentioning mental health without facing judgements. Amy Hernandez, head of the Wellness Center, highlights this feeling students have that are unintentionally ignored.
“There’s a stigma that it’s not okay to not be okay. There's just this idea that kids have, such as, ‘I have to be strong,’ ‘I have to be okay,’ ‘I can't show weakness,’” Hernandez said. “I think students tend to not prioritize their mental health and right now I think they need to more than ever. It’s really important that we take care of ourselves at this time.”
When a student is stressed or anxious they will not engage and learn during class time. Mental health is a critical component to being in the right mind frame to actually learn, said English teacher Nicole Iskandar believes.
“Students seemed drained on the days close before and after the election,” Iskandar said. “Students won’t learn or engage if they’re stressed or anxious about other things.”
The Wellness Center has been open since the start of the 2019-2020 school year. There are always people available to offer support or even clubs to join to support student well being.
“I would say if they're interested, they just need to reach out and specifically at Pioneer that's the wellness center or the clubs,” said Hernandez.
Shining a spotlight on mental health is a long way down from accepting that people won’t be okay all the time. This year’s election is just the tip of the iceberg that mental health is more complex than it seems.
“Right now we live in a society that's barely breaking taboos surrounding mental health. While that is progress there is still a lot of fear and confusion on ‘scarier’ mental illnesses like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia,” Lara said. “I think there’s still a lot more progress and discussion that needs to be made surrounding those illnesses.”
Ariana Lara, 12, has noticed friends and classmates' anxiety increase due to this year's election.
“I know a lot of my friends are either people of color, women, queer or all three. Because of that their fears of a white supremacist in office affected their mental health largely,” Lara said.
In recent years mental health has been getting more attention but there’s still stigmas pertaining about mentioning mental health without facing judgements. Amy Hernandez, head of the Wellness Center, highlights this feeling students have that are unintentionally ignored.
“There’s a stigma that it’s not okay to not be okay. There's just this idea that kids have, such as, ‘I have to be strong,’ ‘I have to be okay,’ ‘I can't show weakness,’” Hernandez said. “I think students tend to not prioritize their mental health and right now I think they need to more than ever. It’s really important that we take care of ourselves at this time.”
When a student is stressed or anxious they will not engage and learn during class time. Mental health is a critical component to being in the right mind frame to actually learn, said English teacher Nicole Iskandar believes.
“Students seemed drained on the days close before and after the election,” Iskandar said. “Students won’t learn or engage if they’re stressed or anxious about other things.”
The Wellness Center has been open since the start of the 2019-2020 school year. There are always people available to offer support or even clubs to join to support student well being.
“I would say if they're interested, they just need to reach out and specifically at Pioneer that's the wellness center or the clubs,” said Hernandez.
Shining a spotlight on mental health is a long way down from accepting that people won’t be okay all the time. This year’s election is just the tip of the iceberg that mental health is more complex than it seems.
“Right now we live in a society that's barely breaking taboos surrounding mental health. While that is progress there is still a lot of fear and confusion on ‘scarier’ mental illnesses like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia,” Lara said. “I think there’s still a lot more progress and discussion that needs to be made surrounding those illnesses.”