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Mind and Body in Lock Down

It was March 12 and I was sitting in Physio class when I heard over the loudspeaker that

we were not going back to school for two weeks and all sports were finished for the rest of the

year. I remember being excited to have a break from school for two weeks, but that excitement

quickly changed when those two weeks became the rest of my high school experience. Then my

short break from soccer turned into never having a regular-season again and missing out on my

recruitment year.

No one knew how long quarantine was going to last or how much our lives would truly

change. So when quarantine started I treated it as a break and a time to relax. However, after a

week of doing nothing I knew I needed to get outside and start exercising on my own, so I went

on countless hikes with my family. My club soccer team started up as soon as they could while

taking the necessary precautions. Quarantine made me realize how important a team sport is to

me and the effect it has on my physical and mental health. I was so happy to have something to

do every day and to be able to interact with my teammates daily.

Throughout quarantine, I saw some people who exercised daily and some who never did.

I always thought about how it affected them differently and I saw a difference between these two

types of people. I then tried to assess myself on days that I exercised versus days that I did not.

Fitness is so important throughout one's whole life and has many different benefits. So this made

me curious if quarantine was particularly different and made fitness even more important. This

leads to my question: How do fitness and sports affect people’s mental health, especially during

the quarantine?

There are many factors and things associated with mental health, fitness and sports are

just one of many. When trying to answer how sports and fitness directly affect people’s mental

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health, it is important to look at a couple of different factors. People need to see how quarantine

alone affected people’s mental health. It is also important to look at the direct effect fitness and

sports have on one's physical and mental health on an everyday basis. Another thing to focus on

is being aware of mental illnesses and what exactly leads to them. All these factors play a part in

understanding how exactly fitness can affect one’s mental health.

It is important for people to be aware of mental illness and what that exactly means. If

people are educated about it they are more likely to notice it in themselves and others and seek

help. Depression is a serious mental illness that comes with a lot of different symptoms and

thoughts, so it is important to know exactly what it is. An article about mental health illness

shares exactly what depression is and what it can look like in certain individuals:

Depression is a serious mental illness that causes feelings of hopelessness and interferes

with a person’s normal everyday life. People with depression often suffer from physical

symptoms. Symptoms of depression include persistent sadness; loss of interest in things

once enjoyed; feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and helplessness; sleeping too little or too

much; weight loss or gain; irritability; fatigue; chronic pain; and thoughts of death or

suicide. (Mental Disorders 2)

Quarantine worsened and started depression in some people because of the hopelessness and lack

of interest people had. It is easy to set these symptoms aside and not think much of them because

there could be many reasons for some of them. For instance, if one sleeps too much or too little it

is a direct sign of depression, but it could also be due to other activities. It is important for people

to know their minds and bodies and be able to notice when something changes or does not feel

right.

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Another very common mental illness is anxiety. “Anxiety is something that most people

are facing during the quarantine because of anticipation of the future” (“Peace College”). It is

normal to feel anxious at times, but having anxiety all the time is different and something to pay

attention to. It is normal to feel anxious about the future and what’s to come, but if it is a constant

worry and stress and leads to anxiety, that is not normal. People tend to push aside their

problems, especially what they are feeling mentally because no one wants to admit they have a

problem. However, that can be very dangerous and lead to further issues.

Another benefit of being educated about mental illness is being able to help one’s friends

and family if one sees that they are struggling. “Taking care of yourself can better equip you to

take care of others. During times of social distancing, it is especially important to stay connected

with your friends and family. Helping others cope with stress through phone calls or video chats

can help you and your loved ones feel less lonely or isolated” (“Coping with Stress”). Even

though some people can not see their loved ones due to traveling guidelines or just precautionary

measures, it is important to check up on people. A simple text or phone call can make all the

difference in the world and can make someone's day. So many people feel alone during this time,

it is important to make people feel loved and know that someone cares.

While in quarantine people are told not to see or interact with anyone face to face and it

prevents people from going out and doing basic things. Doing this for a long period of time

slowly changes someone and even if one does not see a result immediately, their mental health is

being affected. It is human nature to be around people, so when this is taken away it results in

changes. A study about the recent quarantine stated, “We need to stay socially connected. The

term “distant” can be harmful and can lead to feelings of isolation. Feeling isolated can lead to

depression and loneliness” (“Peace College”). The whole point of quarantine was to be isolated

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from everyone else which is a main cause of loneliness, leading to depression. There is a healthy

balance, but some people were too focused on the rules of quarantine that they forgot about their

mental health and what was necessary for them.

Quarantine has affected people of all ages in different ways. This study shows how

certain ages were affected directly, “The COVID-19 crisis has taken a psychological toll on

people of all ages, but one group especially affected is teenagers. School closures and enforced

social distancing have cut off many teens from major means of psychological support, putting

them at higher risk of developing anxiety and depression” (Leighton). By not being in school and

not having the social contact every kid is used to, many kids didn’t know how to get that contact

and were left feeling alone. Adults faced different challenges and many were left with the stress

and burdens of financial issues. Due to this, “Many people may be facing increased levels of

alcohol and drug use, insomnia, and anxiety” (Brunier). Those are all very serious concerns

which can lead to further issues down the road. This was so new to everyone and many did not

know how to cope, so they resulted in unhealthy lifestyles.

With the spiked numbers of people struggling with mental health, the mental health

system was called upon and needed by many. “And the pandemic is increasing demand for

mental health services. Bereavement, isolation, loss of income and fear are triggering mental

health conditions or exacerbating existing ones” (Brunier). Many people felt lost and hopeless

during these times and needed someone to reach out to. One would think that the mental health

system would be the perfect place for people to reach out to, but quarantine shined a light on all

its flaws. “The rise in people struggling with mental health showed how broken and flawed the

mental health system is” (Freyne). People are not getting the proper help and guidance that they

so desperately need in these times of uncertainty. This was shown in an interview with an

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individual struggling with mental health issues, "I was referred to the hospital ... I was

self-harming and my doctor was afraid I would take my own life. The staff there said my case

wasn't severe enough for them to help me, and they sent me home with advice to go to Pieta

House or the university's counseling services" (Freyne). When people can not go to friends and

family for help and they are so desperate for a solution, they call or go to a mental hospital. This

should be the most extreme care and help someone can receive, but instead, there are countless

testimonies about people who were shut down and sent away to deal with their own problems,

which could lead to self-harm. "My main takeaway from the system is that once you're relatively

stable, they don't care about helping you get better” (Freyne). This is very discouraging for

anyone struggling with these issues because it shows that no one cares or can do anything to

help, which is never the case.

Fitness and sports have a huge impact on people not just physically, but mentally too and

this was made clear during quarantine. Many kids rely on team sports to have socialization and

make friends. In an interview with Marcia Silva, Head Coach at Walnut Creek Surf, she

explained that “Exercising with a team is different from exercising alone because a team helps

push and motivate you and bring you socialization and friends.” Without that ability for a whole

year, mental illness in adolescence spiked. Not only were kids not able to see their friends and

teammates every day, but they also were not getting outside and exercising properly. In an

interview with Gabe Cienfuegos, Head Coach for Northgate Women’s Soccer, he stated that “It’s

said that adolescents 6 years old and up should get one hour of exercise a day, it doesn’t need to

be intense, but they should be moving outside.” Due to quarantine, adolescents were less

motivated, therefore stayed in their rooms and houses more. This is so detrimental because

everyone needs to get outside. “When you’re physically active, your brain releases chemicals

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that make you feel happier and more relaxed. And when you participate in a team or group sport,

you’ll also get the added benefit of positive social interaction” (“Advent Health”). A lot of times,

mental illness stems from not being happy, so not getting outside and exercising is just feeding it.

Cienfuegos also stated that “Even a short amount of exercise and getting outside increases our

energy, positive mood, and mental alertness.” This proves that getting exercise outside is so

important for overall well being.

Exercise is one of those things that is a lot easier said than done. Everyone talks about

getting in shape, but actually getting up and starting is the issue. Quarantine especially made this

difficult because it took away any motivation people had. For many kids and teens playing

sports, there were no games, scrimmages, tournaments, college scouts, or even normal practices.

When teams started being able to practice (while social distancing) many kids didn’t see a point

in going when there was no visible reward. No one knew when things would get back to normal

or if there would be tournaments the same again. Silva also explained that “I noticed a change in

my players' mental health during quarantine by the kids being less engaged and having no

motivation to play.” People like to know what they’re striving for and want to see the end result.

For example, when a team has a tournament in a month, they practice hard and are able to

showcase that dedication during the game, and the scores reflect that. Quarantine was much

different because there were limited drills to do at practice so things became very repetitive and

discouraging. So why would kids want to go to a boring practice and have nowhere to show off

their hard work? This hopelessness can drive mental illness without anyone realizing it.

Even without realizing it, people were doing little things that could cause mental health

issues because of the quarantine guidelines. “Stay away from staying in bed all day, not

maintaining good hygiene, having a short temper, feeling irrationally hopeless about the future,

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and somatic symptoms. These symptoms coincide with depression and can be harmful” (“Peace

College”). All of these things stated were very easy to do during quarantine. When school is

online and there is nowhere you are able to go, it is easy for kids to stay in bed and watch

television all day. Along with having nowhere to go or no obligations, it is easy to take fewer

showers and not maintain good hygiene. Many people felt hopeless about the future because

things kept getting worse and there were no signs of things being normal anytime soon. It was

especially easy for adolescence to feel this way because many parents were very busy with work,

so they may not have paid close attention to everything their child was doing throughout the day.

This could lead to the kids not being accountable for anything and having even less structure

during a chaotic period.

Quarantine was a difficult time and brought up new and different challenges for

everyone. Many people experienced challenges staying motivated and focused on what was

important. This was difficult because many felt alone and thought they were the only ones

feeling this way. Doing research and being informed is very helpful in order to learn about your

mind and body and things you should and should not be doing. From this research, one can see

that fitness and sports have a huge impact on people’s mental health, especially during

quarantine. Exercising is so important for the mind and body and is a direct factor in making

one’s mental health better. Everyone should care about this topic because mental health is

important for everyone. Also, everyone went through quarantine and can relate first hand. It is

important to be educated on topics that affect you.

This topic was so important and fascinating to me because I struggled with these issues

firsthand during quarantine. I know I am not the only one who struggled, so everyone needs to be

informed and knowledgeable about the different effects there can be. I have played sports my

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whole life and always took them for granted. Quarantined showed how easy it is to be

unmotivated when you do not have a set schedule or specific time to go out and exercise. Making

time on your own to work hard is not always fun, but is so beneficial in the long run. This

research is helpful for everyone to know and is relatable during all periods of time, not just

quarantine.

I also got to see firsthand how young children were affected during my project. For my

project, I volunteered to coach at a youth soccer camp. I was assigned a specific group of kids

ages six to nine and I had to come up with drills and games to further their skills and just get

them exercising throughout the day. These camps took place as soon as they could with the

COVID restrictions. These kids went from not being able to see friends or play with their team,

to coming to a camp and being able to enjoy a sport they love. I found that many kids were eager

to just run around and play, which showed how long they had been deprived. I was so excited for

this project because it combined the sport that I love with a topic I was curious and passionate

about. After doing research I was able to look for specific qualities and behaviors in the children.

Also while I was coaching I would notice certain things that sparked interest and curiosity. That

led me to do more research and also led to my interview questions.

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Works Cited

Advent Health. “How Playing a Sport Can Improve Your Mental Health.” News and Blogs, 13

March 2019. https://www.adventhealth.com/blog/how-playing-a-sport-can-improve-

your-mental-health. Accessed 23 March 2021.

Brunier, Alison. “COVID-19 disrupting mental health services in most countries.” News Release,

5 October 2020., https://www.who.int/news/item/05-10-2020-covid-19-disrupting

-mental-health-services-in-most-countries-who-survey#:~:text=Bereavement%2C%20iso

lation%2C%20loss,outcomes%20and%20even%20death. Accessed 24 March 2021.

Cienfuegos, Gabe. Soccer Head Coach. Personal Interview. 20 March 2021.

“Coping with Stress.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 22 January 2021.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.ht

ml. Accessed 24 March 2021.

Freyne, Patrick. “The Mental Health Pandemic.” Irish Times, 23 January 2021,

https://explore.proquest.com/elibrary/document/2479906249?searchid=1614879819&acc

ountid=193803. Accessed 4 March 2021.

Leighton, Joy. “Stanford psychologists investigate COVID-19’s mental toll on teenagers.”

StandfordNews, 22 September 2020. https://news.stanford.edu/2020/09/22/covid

-19s-mental-toll-teens/. Accessed 24 March 2021.

"Mental Disorders." Gale In Context Online Collection, Gale, 2019. Gale In Context: High

School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/OBTFDI800495972/SUIC?u=wal55317&sid=

SUIC&xid=3ff273f4. Accessed 25 Mar. 2021.

Peace College. “Mental Health in Quarantine.”The Peace Time, 1 April 2020,

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https://explore.proquest.com/elibrary/document/2384818073?searchid=1614887443&acc

ountid=193803. Accessed 4 March 2021.

Silva, Marcia. Walnut Creek Surf Head Coach. Personal Interview. 24 March 2021.

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