“Deaths of Despair” among College Students Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: A Call for Action

Abstract

As COVID-19 pandemic gains foothold worldwide, all spheres of life, including daily activities, education, economic, social sectors experienced significant downturns. While COVID-19 affects all population subgroups, college students are particularly vulnerable given their transition to the emerging adulthood surrounded by a broad possibility of future. According to a mounting evidence, college students bear a disproportionate burden of psychosocial morbidities, which can be explained by the uncertainties surrounding the course of the pandemic and the sudden transition to online education. Moreover, many businesses scaled down their recruitment efforts leaving limited employment for students and more competition in the graduate labor market. COVID-19 pandemic has set up a “perfect storm” for students to initiate or relapse of maladaptive behaviors to alleviate their negative feelings. This is where “Deaths of Despair” comes into play. This chapter aims to reflect on the factors contributing to “Deaths of Despair” among college students in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. Author of this chapter would like to advocate for developing tailored interventions to promote the post-traumatic growth among college students.