– I can sit here for weeks and no one will miss me

When conservative politician Mathilde Tybring-Gjedde was 18, she traveled to England to study. The 18-year-old thought that life would improve a lot as she moved away from little Norway.

But she was wrong.

– I spent the first night unpacking in my little room on campus, hanging pictures on the walls and listening to the sounds of parties outside. The idea hit me: I can sit here for weeks and no one will miss me, Tybring-Gjedde candidly writes in a Facebook post.

The 18-year-old never felt completely comfortable. When you look back at the smiling images of your studies today, you do so with mixed feelings.

Because she realizes that she was quite lonely.

– It wasn’t so good. And I didn’t say that to anyone I studied with.

– Extra resistant

With her own fresh story on her mind, Tybring-Gjedde thinks much more about this year’s students.

– Being alone does not necessarily mean that you feel lonely, but when they encourage you to a minimum social contact and when all the social meeting places disappear, it becomes more difficult, he tells TV 2.

The Storting politician says she was greeted a bit at the door, as no one expected her to show up anywhere.

– I had to actively search for things by myself, and many students do. I ended up getting into myself a little bit and was very lonely, and I thought I was fine with that. But it devours just being in your own head.

But this year’s students have missed the opportunity to attend social gatherings.

For this reason, many universities and colleges have had to resort to digital solutions. But Tybring-Gjedde understands that this is far from the same.

– You don’t have the same contact with people and for many students it can be easier to turn on Netflix than to log into a digital community, he says.

Awarded 10 million

Homeschooling and online education have become the new norm for students this year, and instead of weeks of sponsorship and social gatherings, fall has consisted of constant outbreaks, crown quarantines, isolation and loneliness. .

Earlier this week, the government presented its eighth package of measures. NOK 10 million was set aside for measures for the mental health of students.

However, both the Secretary General of the Mental Health Council Tove Gundersen and Tale Maria Krohn Engvik, better known as “Helsesista”, have told TV 2 that this is far from sufficient.

– Loneliness is as harmful as 15 cigarettes a day

– There are many important offers and measures that have received widespread support and increased funding, but if it is separated a little, with ten million for students and distributed among the number of students, then there will not be many crowns in each, he said “Helsesista” A TV 2.

– We have a job to do

Gundersen of the Mental Health Council believes that it is absolutely crucial that even more preventive work be done.

– This won’t last. We know that long-term layoffs, poor finances, and insecurity are the top risk factors associated with suicide. When we know that, it is important that we can work on suicide prevention at various levels. Both with a view to reducing risk factors, but also to strengthening the protective factors that are at stake, he tells TV 2.

However, Tybring-Gjedde believes that the ten million that have been allocated is sufficient.

– We should be able to have a brainstorming session on what events and meeting places you can create for those who are very lonely. But at the same time we know that creating good communities requires an effort from each individual, we have a job to do, he says.

– lose too many

The conservative politician says the ten million will go to low-threshold offers and believes there is much to be done.

– At the same time, there must also be quality, and something in which students want to participate, he says.

“Helsesista” has been contacted by several who say they will hold out until Christmas is over, but they will no longer be able to endure it. She believes it is urgent to implement more offers, both for students and others.

– We’re losing too many now. We cannot shut down the entire country to save someone, while others who are seriously ill must fend for themselves, he says.

– Very disturbing

Tybring-Gjedde fears that loneliness among students will spread to more people who are struggling harder and that we will have many more who need professional mental health follow-up.

– It is very disturbing and something that worries me. Life is lived here and now, and you do that especially when you are young and a student, he says and adds:

– If I have learned something, it is that life is made up of most days of the week. Even in a pandemic, you have to try to feel good, and then you need other people.

Tybring-Gjedde believes that the second wave of infection may be more difficult for many.

– Returning to the small social contact that took place in March and April is heavy for many.

– I could have done more

Health Minister Bent Høie told TV 2 that they have done a lot and paid great attention to the importance of ensuring people’s mental health.

– Especially on the treatment side, where we said mental health should be a priority. Unlike other health queues, the wait time for mental health has not increased, but rather decreased, says Høie.

Still, the Health Minister admits that they certainly could have done more.

– Each individual can also do a lot. Many are participating in that work too, not just work to fight the virus. That’s why so many have reached out and I would encourage more people to do so, says Høie.

Tybring-Gjedde believes it is very important to be able to reach out to struggling students and give them a clear message about where and to whom they can turn.

– I hope that the money we allocate can lead to students having an offer to go the first weeks after Christmas, and that they do not feel like they are back in an empty bus and alone again, after a Christmas break with their loved ones, she says.