Young People Struggling With Mental Burden Of Pandemic: CDC

PLYMOUTH, MA — A generation of teenagers and young adults, taught and coached most of their lives to work together, have been told to stay apart for the past five months because of the coronavirus pandemic, and it's taking a toll on their mental health.

The very social interactions that often provide stimulation and boost self-esteem for younger people have been limited or prohibited out of concerns about the spreading virus. School, sports, faith and community groups that once provided face-to-face support, along with of a hug or high-five, have gone remote or become socially distanced.

As necessary as this might be for the greater public good, the feelings of isolation and loss of hope among younger people that result from coronavirus restrictions might be a factor in some alarming figures released last week in a Centers For Disease Control survey.

The CDC survey of 9,896 adults age 18 or older revealed that 40.9 percent of respondents reported struggling with mental health or substance abuse in the last 30 days. The report said 10.7 percent of respondents seriously considered suicide — including 25.5 percent of those respondents between 18 and 24 years old.

"We know going forward it's something we have to keep in the back of our minds that the continued isolation can lead to mental illness," said Jennie Babcock, Chair of the Plymouth Regional Suicide Prevention Coalition. "You have 23-year-olds where this was supposed to be the time of their lives. And you have seniors (right out of) high school who didn't get to have their prom and graduation, and they're feeling that."

[The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Call 1-800-273-8255.]

Babcock said Norfolk County recorded six suicides this July compared to three last year. In Plymouth County in June, there were eight suicides this year compared to zero last year.

"We don't know if that's a sign of things to come," Babcock said. "God, we hope not. But we have to consider that maybe it's a sign of things to come."

Eileen Davis, who launched the Call2Talk Hotline in Massachusetts and is now vice president of the Mass2-1-1 referral hotline service, said that in March and April she saw a surge in calls from younger people — who are less likely in recent years to communicate through phone calls than via text messages and social media. Those calls came from children as young as 8.

She said that the effects of quarantines and lost social opportunities are felt across all age levels in the pandemic, but can be especially hard for younger people to endure.

"When someone older calls, we will talk about other times in their lives when they didn't feel this way, or what they've done to feel better when they've been troubled before, or different coping skills that have worked for them," Davis said. "That is not as successful a tactic with younger people because they can't draw on those same experiences. For a lot of them, this is the first time they have had something impact them so significantly.

"They are being told 'Don't see your friends. Don't go to school.' But for some of them school is their safe place."

With more schools in the state choosing to return remotely next month, or in a hybrid learning model with small pods of fellow students meeting two days a week, there is concern the relentlessness of the pandemic will take an even greater toll on younger people this fall.

"We thought the next four months may be even tougher, because we know a lot of the schools aren't coming back and kids will feel more isolated," Babcock said. "At that age group they grew up in a society of total interaction. Whether it's through the internet, or school sports, they are pushed constantly to work together and have this feeling that: 'I have to be there.'

"I think they need that connection. When they are in school, they are working in pairs and groups on projects together. They are always with their friends."

The need for social interaction is part of the push from proponents of school athletics and other extracurricular activities to allow them to resume to the extent possible as soon as possible. It is also behind efforts to bring students back to college in person, even if many of the actual classes will be held remotely.

Davis allowed that for many young people, social interaction is the way they get validation.

"They just don't have any outlets," she said. "Their brains aren't really in a place where they can say: 'It's OK. It's going to get better.' It's coming at them from all directions and they don't have time to process it and catch up. You have kids who have never really had angst or concerns before, but they do now."

Davis said communication is key. If someone seems to be especially upset about the lack of interactions, or express hopelessness that there is no end in sight to the pandemic, try to talk them about their feelings instead of simply telling them that's how it has got to be.

She suggested finding middle ground where, even if they can't have a big party with their friends, a sleepover or nights out together in large groups, they can get together outside and stay socially distanced.

She also said that sharing feelings about anxiety, isolation and depression has to become more accepted and embraced within society.

"The mental part of this is going to be the next pandemic," Davis said. "Mental health is going to have to be at the forefront long after the virus in under control.

"They have to know that they are not alone and it's not embarrassing to ask for help. That has to become part of the culture.”

(For more information on suicide prevention and the warning signs of suicidal thoughts go to the Massachusetts Coalition of Suicide Prevention website.)

Scott Souza is a Patch Local Field Editor. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@patch.com.