The impact of corona crisis on mental health
18 October 2021Writer: Alicia Macnack
When I saw it was my turn to write a blog, I knew right away what I wanted to write about: the impact of covid-19 (especially lockdowns) on mental health among young people. Mental health and breaking the taboo around it is something very close to my heart. I would like to bring more attention to this topic, because unfortunately it still happens very little. I think it is important to talk about topics like this and show others that they are not alone.
The percentage of young people having problems with their mental health has increased a lot. This is according to the CBS (Central Bureau of Statistics) survey of Dutch people. Many feel more anxious and more alone. With that, depressive feelings are also common. Many young people went through a very big change during the first lockdown; first they spent whole days at school with other peers around them and then in one fell swoop they were all sitting at a computer from their room. This created a very isolating feeling and for many, complaints related to their mental health increased a lot. Especially among students, complaints increased a lot. For many, not having social contacts was especially troublesome. Not being able to see friends anymore, sitting inside constantly and staring at a laptop screen, and not really being able to live student life. The lockdown caused developmental damage in some cases. There was less room for experimentation and also less freedom to grow and develop. The lockdowns have had a bad impact on many, and for many it is also very difficult to slowly go back to a “normal”, where we do get to socialise with friends on a terrace again and go shopping without mouth caps.
Now that we are no longer in lockdown, bad grades among young people are still not decreasing much. Many still suffer from anxiety, sleep problems and depressive thoughts. Some do seek help to feel better again, but then end up on an eight-month waiting list before they can be helped. And what should you do these eight months you wait for help? You guessed it, you have to fend for yourself! Often the only support you get is from a GP practice who can't actually do very much. This is a problem that has existed for years, of course, but it still remains very heartbreaking and actually leaves people to their own devices. It often makes you feel very helpless. You do want to feel better, but without the right support and help, it is very difficult. The long waiting lists certainly don't help with this. Something definitely needs to change here. I hope this will happen soon and that more attention will be paid to this problem, which keeps many young people from seeking help.
I have written this blog with the intention of opening a conversation around mental health and also to shine a light on the problems caused by the corona crisis, as it has involved not only physical but also mental problems. Mental health is often overlooked, as it often cannot be seen from the outside anyway. However, it is a big part of people's lives. With this, I hope to contribute to breaking the taboo around mental health and also seeking help.
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Sources:
https://zorgkrant.nl/ggz/14359-psychische-klachten-bij-jongeren-toegenomen-sinds-de-coronacrisis
https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/economie/life/artikel/5251775/kwart-jongeren-somber-depressief-coronacrisis
https://www.psychotherapie.nl/actueel/nvp-nieuws/nieuwsbericht?newsitemid=1275035648