Recent CDC data shows that 18-29 year olds are having the most mental health difficulty during the pandemic. So, I asked my students for additional insights into why. Here are the reasons they gave me: (1/n)

* Our systems, particularly our educational system, are built to challenge mental health and test resilience, not build mental wellbeing--making them more difficult to deal with in the midst of a pandemic. (2/n)

* The lack of affordable physical and mental health care is more concerning and challenging in the midst of a pandemic, particularly when others could make you sick by not taking easy steps to prevent the spread of disease. (3/n)

* There isn't enough capacity to deal with the issues that they are facing. Lots of interest in systemic reform.

*We need basic needs security focused on food and economic support. Concerns about "what if" scenarios were top of mind. (4/n)

* Their economic security and doing what's best for their health and the health of others really seemed at odds in their mind. They want to do what's right for themselves and their community, but they feel trapped between bad choices. (5/n)

I specifically asked about public health orders, inability to hang out with others, etc. This is a pretty contentious group, so they seem to be following guidance pretty well. Their response: "yeah, its not great--but it would be much easier if we had even basic supports." (6/n)

Our failure to appropriately respond to this pandemic, take public health seriously, and provide a social safety net for the present and future seemed to really weigh on them.

A recognition of social failures, not a yearning for normalcy, is what was challenging them. (end)