Support to Overcome Mental Fatigue among Young People

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

Illustration. Jostling during the Covid-19 pandemic gave a sense of concern about the transmission of this disease. The pandemic creates a lot of anxiety which can lead to mental disorders.

The rhythm of life that has changed drastically as a result of the pandemic has caused mental exhaustion. Mutual support is needed to overcome it so that it will not affect the mental health.

If there was no family support, Bedu (22), an eighth semester student at a private university in Bandar Lampung, Lampung, might have already “disappeared” from this world. A series of bitter experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic pushed him into drugs, which nearly took his life.

Before the pandemic, Bedu was actively involved both in campus and non-campus activities. The pandemic forced him to stay at home. Amid such a difficult situation, his father died. At the time when he was still grieving his father’s death, he was suspended by his university for participating in an innovation competition held by a political party without permission. Due to the sanction, he missed a semester and could not attend a graduation ceremony together with his classmates. The university also threatened to cancel his scholarship.

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In the midst of his sorrow, rumors circulated that he was expelled from the university. He also tried hard to hide the rumors from his mother and other family members. "I feel like I have become a burden of my mother. All the plans I made fell apart, "he said on Saturday (10/4/2021).

Due to these problems, Bedu locked himself in his room for almost a month. Amid feelings of sadness and despair, he took drugs until he became unconscious. Luckily, his mother who found him lying in the room immediately took him to the puskesmas ( community health center). After the incident, Bedu\'s mother accompanied and supported her son. With his mother’s support, he managed to recover and convinced that every problem had its solution.

I feel like I have become a burden of my mother. All the plans I made fell apart

Support to help those suffering from mental health problems due to the pandemic can also come from the community, as experienced by Sofyan (24), an insurance agent in Bekasi city, West Java. He was stressed because he failed to meet the sales target set by his employer, which had resulted in a reduction in his monthly income and bonus.

To relieve stress, he chose to cycle on weekends with other members of the Pondok Gede Cycling Community (GPPG) in Bekasi. Meeting new people and socializing with other cyclists made him happy and could forget his problems.

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GPPG activities are not just about cycling. It also has a "hidden agenda" to support the business of its members. The community members regularly meet. They often have a coffee or dine together at food stalls owned by the community members to strengthen relationships and help those affected by the pandemic.

As a result, said the chairman of GPPG, Riki (31), community activities that originally focused on sports had developed into social groups. "GPPG is a forum for mutual cooperation, sharing work information, promoting business, and selling merchandise for members," he said.

KOMPAS/YUNIADHI AGUNG (MYE) 06-02-2020

A group of people participated in a meditation activity organized by the Indonesian Tergar meditation community in Jakarta, Thursday (6/2/2020). Doing meditation is one way to maintain one\'s mental health.

Professional contribution

The professionals also took part in helping those affected by the pandemic. The difficulties resulting from the pandemic also inspired the professionals to provide assistance such as by offering counseling service.

For example, Ira Ramawati, a lecturer at the School of Communication Sciences, Padjadjaran University, Bandung and other lecturers have opened online counseling services through an online platform called sobatmu.com . This platform can be a solution for young people who find it difficult to share stories or solve their own problems. “Many young people are afraid of being judged, scolded and considered weak if they talk to their parents. They are also reluctant to talk to their friends because they are not sure it can help,”said Ira.

Also read: Pandemic Affects Youths’ Mental Health

Before the pandemic, on average only four people shared their problems through sobat.com a day. Now, the number can reach 10-15 people a day.

The mental health of an individual will have an impact on the mental health of the community and vice versa

Outside the campus, such a support is also given by the Sehat Jiwa dan Bahagia (Healthy Soul and Happy) movement, which provides social support services, coaching, to counseling at a relatively affordable cost. "We want to educate the public to be more aware of mental health. It is not intended to solve the problems they face, but how they can get up and find a solution to every problem they face,” said Syifa Khairunnisa, the manager of the movement.

The pandemic makes the people more aware of their mental health. The increased awareness, especially among young people, has become a driving force to promote the importance of maintaining the mental health.

"The mental health of an individual will have an impact on the mental health of the community and vice versa,” Syifa said."

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.