Mental Health is the Next Pandemic.
COVID-19 has exposed and exacerbated existing mental health challenges. Prior to the pandemic, child and adolescent mental health conditions were on the rise. Nearly 50% of children have experienced one or more Adverse Childhood Experiences before the age of 12, and rates of depression and anxiety in youth have increased steadily over time (CDC, 2020).
A mental health crisis is now emerging. Previous studies suggest that isolation can be traumatizing, with 25% of isolated children and adults experiencing PTSD (Sprang & Silman, 2013). Early surveys on the pandemic indicate a rise in stress and behavior challenges in children, "with 68% of parents and caregivers reporting an increase in stress, and 33% reporting an increase in their child’s fussiness or disruptive behavior" (Minn & Hau, 2020).
COVID-19 will pass with time, but the mental health effects for children, teens, and adults are likely to ripple out for years to come. Grown-ups are now grappling with how to help the children and teens in their lives cope with the psychological effects of the pandemic including stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma.