Lea von Büren

Millions of young people spent days and months during the covid-19 pandemic locked in a room, probably in front of computers, without being able to meet new peers, share activities and moments in real life. They often wondered, what would become of them. They had concerns about their futures. But school was not the only factor. Sometimes they experienced difficult moments and family conflicts, or big injustices. The constant and vast amount of information from mass media made them feel overwhelmed too. Restrictions certainly did not make them feel free to experience the world.  So, “how do you feel about it”? Is the question I’m asking you. The evolution of mental health in young people during and succeeding the covid pandemic is an issue that, in my opinion, has been underestimated globally and locally and must be brought to light.

Figure 1: Drawing with words of feelings experienced during the pandemic years (UNICEF, n.d.)

An introduction – here are some global data

In accordance to UNICEF, “Mental health is a positive state of well-being and a foundation that allows children and young people to build their futures” (Keeley et al., 2021, p.11). The Sustainable Development Goals strive for “a world with equitable and universal access to quality education at all levels, to health care and social protection, where physical, mental and social well-being are assured.” (Keeley et al., 2021, p.31).

Often, however, not enough is being done to achieve these goals. Mental disorders are many and reveal themselves differently to each individual. Some symptoms are more frequent than others are, but there are common features in the onset or development of psychosocial disorders, as you will read.

Around the world, mental disorders are still one of the main causes of suffering, disabilities, and death for children and young people, so much that it affects 13% of teenagers between 10-19, according to UNICEF statistics. Note that this percentage refers only to the diagnosed, so a larger value is to be expected if we take into account the undiagnosed (UNICEF, 2021b).

Worldwide, depression and anxiety account for 40% of mental problems affecting adolescents, and suicide places is one of the first causes of death (Keeley et al., 2021).

This problem is becoming more recognized globally, also thanks to the increasingly popular Sustainable Development Goals and health programs, such as the Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) and the Global Accelerated Action for the Health of Adolescents (AA-HA!). However, there is still a great lack of interest and financial contributions for the prevention and cure of these diseases. To the point that in some of the poorest countries less than US$1 per Person is annually spent to treat mental illness, while in upper-middle countries up to US$3. Globally, only 2% of the overall national budget is invested in healthcare (UNICEF, 2021a). This is reflected in the insufficient workforce or equipment in the mental health support sector. Moreover, mental health issues are ignored, misunderstood and stigmatized, to the point of worsening people’s psychological health itself (Keeley et al., 2021).

Any changes during the covid-19 pandemic?

The corona pandemic 2019 has had a big impact on our well-being, with an estimated 25% increase of anxiety and depression worldwide (World Health Organisation, 2022). Our bodies and minds have been so afflicted that, according to a meta-analysis of 54 international studies, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts have increased by 9.63%, 10.81% and 4.68%, respectively (Dubé et al., 2021).

As far as young people are concerned, it has been shown that they are at greater risk of suicidal and self-harming behaviors. There has been in several countries more than a doubling of cases of depression and anxiety within two years. For instance in the United States, where a rate of 43% has been reached in March 2021 (compared to 10% January to June 2019) (OECD, 2021). It also should be noted that cases with major depressive disorder (MDD) or anxiety disorders (AD) are mainly found in the countries most affected by the coronavirus and with limited mobility (World Health Organization, 2022).

Generally speaking, the main reasons for such disorders are found in social isolation following the governments’ containment measures. In turn, this affected our ability to spend time with people, to engage or in general in the sudden interruption of the daily routine, but also in the loneliness, fear of infection and psychophysical exhaustion (World Health Organisation, 2022).

With respect to children, adolescents and young people living in the OECD countries, one of the biggest problems influencing mental health is the shutdown of the schools. Schools are not only places where skills are developed and subjects learnt, but also where social and emotional support, social contact, sense of belonging, physical exercise, and daily routines can be found. When switching to a digital learning, all these elements are lost, potentially bringing long-term negative consequences, and highlighting inequalities in the access of educational systems through devices and internet (OECD, 2021).

Related to the digital dimension, one should also consider that mass media and their ever-increasing load of information and fake news have a fundamental effect on the psychological health of the younger generation and its confidence in institutions. Young people are aware that they are surrounded by fake information and, even if the mainstream social networks like WhatsApp and Instagram are being intensively used, a big part of them place their trust in scientists (Pérez-Escoda et al., 2021).

In my opinion, in the media one should have exposed the problems and solutions of these years in a more efficient and pragmatic manner, without instilling fear in the population and by giving various bodies of a society the opportunity to express themselves on the subject, including scientists.

Wasn’t this problem foreseen?

Unfortunately, school and workplace support programs have been reduced in that period by more than three-quarters, in order to implement closure measurements. The demand for health mental services is increased, but as the United Kingdom’s study reported by OECD shows, only one-half received help.

However, there is also some positive news: for example, in France was introduced the opportunity for students to received 3, then up to 10, free consultations with a psychologist or psychiatrist (OECD, 2021).

What’s going on in Switzerland?

As we know, on 16th March 2020 schools and shops closed in Switzerland, followed by measures that included social distancing, prohibitions of gatherings with more than five persons, quarantine, to a total lockdown until late spring. At that time about one-half of young females and a third of young males reported mild-severe symptoms of anxiety. Another mentioned problem has been the problematic use of internet, experienced by one in five young adults (Mohler-kuo et al., 2021).

Moving from the first pandemic wave on 2020 to the second wave in November it was possible to notice a significant growth (+9%) of stress in the surveyed. The major depressive symptoms had an increased: from a pre-covid value of 3%, to 9% in the first wave, reaching 18% in the second wave.

Considering the younger generations, almost a third of the individuals aged between 14-24 experienced severe depression symptoms during the second wave. The mentioned factors having a larger impact on mental health are found, like before, in loneliness, social-life restrictions, and fear of infection, but at the same time also in switching to digital education, media, and conflicts at home (Quervain et al., 2020).

As if that were not enough, a percentage of 33% young people experienced severe depression symptoms in November 2021 (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Proportion of people with severe depressive symptoms depending on age (Universität Basel, 2022)

In autumn 2021, another variable came into play at our latitudes: vaccination, followed by the introduction of the covid certificate. The corona stress study 2021 shows a very strong stress rate of 16% between vaccinated, mainly due to fear of infection, and of 25% between unvaccinated, majorly because of the introduction of the certificate obligation and conflicts due to vaccination decision-making between family, friends and workplace. Other causes are for both the restriction of personal freedom and financial aspects (Quervain et al., 2021).

In Switzerland there are associations and campaigns, which promote and stand up for youth mental health, among which Pro Juventute, Telefono Amico, MeWell, the “Talk about it. Seek help.” Day (national day on the 10.12.2020), and others. Of course, one has to know them. A very good example to mention is the Nightline in Zurich, which was always available for students and beyond.

Conclusion – speak up!

It is clear, that our mental health and our well-being have been put under pressure during these hard years. This can be seen in the numerous studies that have been carried out on an increasing trend in stress, mental disorders, and illnesses. As we have been able to see, there are many causes and, although subjective, there are trend lines within the population. An almost chain of negative reactions, starting from a situation of containment of the virus.

From social isolation and the inability to share work and leisure moments with other people, to struggles at home. Digitalization, unequal access to the Internet and its problematic use. School and distance working, where the whole part of a person’s development within a community vanishes. The division of society into vaccinated and non-vaccinated and the covid certificate, with the resulting conflicts and intolerances. Clearly, the fear of the virus and contagion to loved ones. In addition, certainly, many other aspects.

Sometimes numbers can say a lot. On the other hand, also people’s voices and personal experiences are essential to comprehend our life and to live it better as well as possible.

Based on myself and my friend’s experiences, we were rarely or never asked in these two years if and how we lived moments of loneliness or demoralization, fear and loss of hope, sadness, and discrimination, etc. except by family and acquaintances. For example, we started ETH during the first year of pandemic, in a new place and language with new people, without even knowing what it meant to be a student, because we (still) never experienced the “university life”, whose everyone excitingly talks about. But we did our best to try to meet and collaborate, even in a difficult situation.

I think there is a lack in our societies regarding giving young people the possibility to express, share opinions and communicate major needs with a larger audience. Just to give one more example, this is reflected in the very few known television/mass media broadcasts or school programs dedicated to or conducted by the youngsters.

Therefore, I invite you all to speak up and share your feelings on this issue, wherever you are and whenever you need it.

I also recommend this documentary “Eine andere Zukunft”, which highlights some of the thoughts of children and young people during these impactful years (Marchart & Sabransky, 2022).

  

References

Note: every website was visited for the last time on the 23.05.2022

Dubé, J. P., Smith, M. M., Sherry, S. B., Hewitt, P. L., & Stewart, S. H. (2021). Suicide behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic: A meta-analysis of 54 studies. In Psychiatry Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113998

Keeley, B., Diniz de Oliveira, J., Dooley, T., Rykiel, N., Gayanelo, D., Mcllwaine, J., & Marlin, A. (2021). The State of the World’s Children 2021: On My Mind – Promoting, protecting and caring for children’s mental health. In UNICEF. https://www.unicef.org/reports/state-worlds-children-2021

Marchart, P., & Sabransky, G. (2022). Eine Andere Zukunft. https://www.eine-andere-zukunft.com/kinderrechte/

Mohler-kuo, M., Dzemaili, S., Foster, S., Werlen, L., & Walitza, S. (2021). Stress and mental health among children/adolescents, their parents, and young adults during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Switzerland. In International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094668

OECD (2021). Supporting young people’s mental health through the COVID-19 crisis. https://doi.org/10.18356/9789210057790c003

Pérez-Escoda, A., Pedrero-Esteban, L. M., Rubio-Romero, J., & Jiménez-Narros, C. (2021). Fake news reaching young people on social networks: Distrust challenging media literacy. In Publications. https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9020024

Quervain, D. de, Aerni, A., Amini, E., Bentz, D., Coynel, D., Gerhards, C., Freytag, V., Papassotiropoulos, A., Schicktanz, N., Schlitt, T., Zimmer, A., & Zuber, P. (2020). The Swiss Corona Stress Study: November 2020. In OSF Preprints. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340911576_The_Swiss_Corona_Stress_Study

Quervain, D. de, Aerni, A., Amini, E., Bentz, D., Coynel, D., Gerhards, C., Freytag, V., Papassotiropoulos, A., Schicktanz, N., Schlitt, T., Zimmer, A., & Zuber, P. (2021). Swiss Corona Stress Study : November 2021.

UNICEF (2021a). Impact of COVID-19 on poor mental health in children and young people ‘tip of the iceberg.’ https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/impact-covid-19-poor-mental-health-children-and-young-people-tip-iceberg

UNICEF (2021b). The State of the World’s Children On My Mind: Promoting, protecting and caring for children’s mental health. https://www.unicef.org/reports/state-worlds-children-2021

World Health Organisation. (2022). COVID-19 pandemic triggers 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide. https://www.who.int/news/item/02-03-2022-covid-19-pandemic-triggers-25-increase-in-prevalence-of-anxiety-and-depression-worldwide

World Health Organization. (2022). Mental Health and COVID-19 : Early evidence of the pandemic’s impact. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-2019-nCoV-Sci_Brief-Mental_health-2022.1

 

Figure 1: UNICEF. (n.d.). Mental Health. Retrieved May 23, 2022, from https://www.unicef-irc.org/research/mental-health/

Figure 2: Universität Basel. (2022). Universität Basel | Coronastress.ch | Schweiz. https://www.coronastress.ch/