CHARLOTTE, N.C. — College students who happen to be members of the LGBTQ community are finding themselves cut off from safe and welcoming spaces, due to COVID-19 restrictions on campuses.

One Charlotte social worker is describing the current situation as a mental health crisis for young, LGBTQ students.

Danielle Willis, a mental health counselor and social worker at the Time Out Youth Center in Charlotte, says she’s seen an increase in depression, self harm, and general feelings of isolation.

"More than ever, the amount of anxiety and depression that I’ve worked with with our youth is very astronomical. I think, because, everything is right in their face, and they don’t have an outlet, and they don’t have a safe space,” Willis says in her office at the center.

For LGBTQ students across the country, Willis says COVID-19 shutdowns of college and university campuses can be particularly damaging.

The isolation from support groups, a potential lack of welcoming spaces, and living in close quarters with family or roommates unsupportive of their identities is a dangerous combination.

"Without having that balance, it’s very dangerous. The aftermath can be very detrimental, self harm, what have you,” Willis adds.

Willis, with roughly a decade of experience in mental health counseling and social work, says without access to support and acceptance, young people can turn to drug abuse, develop anger or coping issues, and in severe cases self harm and suicide.

But, Willis says there is a way you can help.

"Being a space that someone can check in or someone can just be authentically themselves with is extremely powerful,” she explains.

Willis says the dangers and challenges of the current situation are multi-faceted. On the one hand, with closed campuses, some students are stuck in homes or living situations with family or other caregivers unsupportive of their identity, which can include verbal or physical abuse.

On the other hand, some students are on campus but stuck in dorm rooms or apartments with roommates potentially unaware of their identity or unsupportive. Willis says the close quarters can sometimes force a coming out before LGBTQ students are ready or comfortable.

To help understand the dynamic, UNC Charlotte graduate Cade Lee weighs in, saying going away for college can be a freeing experience for LGBTQ students.

"Just getting away, especially coming from a conservative family, that’s not very supportive…it’s definitely an eye-opening experience to be able to go somewhere else,” Lee says.

Lee, a double major in political science and international studies, did not come out publicly in college.

He waited for more freedom, due to challenging dynamics back home.

"I didn’t come out until I had financial independence from my parents, for very good reason. I knew that I wasn’t going to have the support and there was never much of a relationship there,” Lee says.

However, the college or university experience is not always a smooth one. Lee says his campus experience was not as welcoming as he had hoped, but getting away from home was still helpful.

"Almost start from scratch in a new place, in a new city, a new college, everything else. And, surround yourself by the people you’d rather be surrounded with,” Lee advises.

Lee and Willis emphasize the importance of inspecting a college or university’s resources for LGBTQ students before enrolling. Lee adds, in his view, colleges and universities should do more than just anti-discrimination and harassment policies.

Both Lee and Willis say it’s OK to stand up for yourself and create your own family and support system.

However, Willis believes more help is needed on the front lines of mental health and other resources for LGBTQ young people, saying there are not enough options.

Willis and the Time Out Youth Center offer free counseling to young people in need, you can click here for details.