YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH IN A PANDEMIC
Student Essay Series
Savannah Autin, Author
“My name is Savannah Autin, and I am currently a Junior at Texas A&M University with a major in Psychology and a minor in Youth Development. I have been a Research Assistant for TYAN for about 7 months now, and I have learned so much in my time here. I wrote the following piece on Youth Mental Health during the COVID-19 pandemic because my experiences during the past two years have allowed me to notice drastic impacts, and it was an issue I felt needed more attention.”
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health amongst youth was already declining between 2009-2019 (U.S. Surgeon General Advisory, 2021). Everything that has occurred since the 2020 pandemic, has only added to the struggles youth face. In Fall 2021, professionals announced the US was in a state of emergency. The emergency was child and adolescent mental health (U.S. Surgeon General Advisory, 2021). In 2020, the US experienced a 30% increase in emergency room visits. In particular, for mental health reasons amongst youth between 12-17 years old. A very young demographic.
COVID-19 has had a negative impact on aspects that are critical for youth development. This includes in-person social interactions. These aspects also include access to health care and other social services (Unicef, 2020). COVID-19 has also exposed many youths to traumatic grief as well. It has especially harmed youth who already belong to an at-risk population (Marin et al., 2021). These populations include minorities or youth with disabilities. At-risk also includes youth in poverty, LGBTQ+ youth, and youth involved in child welfare.
This does not mean the changes made because of COVID-19 were unnecessary. But that doesn’t erase the negative impacts they may have had. Virtual interactions were necessary for our physical health. Still, youth need access to resources that can improve their mental health (CDC, 2021). Support from community organizations could make a key difference. Even if done online, offering mental or emotional support can have positive benefits. Encouraging connection and healthy coping practiced can be taught and enforced online.
Offering support to youth and their families is a very valuable effort. Providing programs proven to increase healthy development is beneficial to youth. These could be mentorship programs or after-school programs. It can also be any program that promotes positive youth development. Programs should aim to help social determinants of youth (U.S. Surgeon General Advisory, 2021). This includes poverty, trauma exposure, or lack of access to vital resources. It also includes seeing the trends in youth relating to anxiety or depression. Above all, efforts should include protective factors. Protective factors can include social connectedness, coping skills, and economic supports.
Another helpful step that organizations can take, is offering education on mental health. Many youths today struggle, but may not have an understanding of what they’re struggling with or why. Virtual workshops that discuss the importance of mental health could help raise awareness and understanding. This could also result in an improvement in mental health amongst youth. Mental health should be a priority.
REFERENCES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, March 25). Coping with stress. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/stress-coping/cope-with-stress/index.html
General, O. of the S. (2021, December 27). U.S. Surgeon General Issues Advisory on Youth Mental Health Crisis further exposed by covid-19 pandemic. HHS.gov. Retrieved from
The impact of covid-19 on the mental health of adolescents and Youth. UNICEF. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.unicef.org/lac/en/impact-covid-19-mental-health-adolescents-and-youth
Marin, D. G., Blank, C., & Boustani, M. (2021, April 15). The impact of covid-19 on vulnerable youth. School of Behavioral Health. Retrieved from
https://behavioralhealth.llu.edu/blog/impact-covid-19-vulnerable-youth