How has the isolation of this pandemic affected people's mental health or increased the severity of some conditions?
What are you seeing as prevailing symptoms or issues specifically relating to the pandemic?
Social interaction is an important part of being human. Check out this infographic from Dr. Emma Seppala of Stanford University for more information:
How does limited social interaction due to school closures and lockdown affect an adolescent's social identity, and how important is that developmentally?
The pandemic has affected many adolescents, and we have the statistics to back that up. According to data from the CDC, after the shutdowns began there was an increase in adolescents visiting the ER for mental health-related reasons:
Social isolation affects all of us, but in adolescents the brain is still developing so the effects can be more pronounced. It is completely normal to feel depressed, anxious, or upset about the social isolation you are experiencing. Just because something is normal, however, doesn't mean you should have to deal with it in silence. Check out the following pages for some coping techniques and resources you can access:
