The media is fond of using war metaphors and martial, drum-beating language to describe the fight to stop the spread COVID-19 terror. But little attention has been paid to the adverse effects psychologically, particularly to children, as a result of the hard lockdowns still being imposed around the world.
A study of these adverse effects was published on 12 May in the journal Child and Adolescent Psychiatry & Mental Health by four researchers in child psychiatry and neurology from universities in Germany, Austria, and Italy.
The authors concluded:
“Isolation, contact restrictions and economic shutdown impose a complete change to the psychosocial environment in affected countries. These measures have the potential to threaten the mental health of children and adolescents significantly.
Anxiety, lack of peer contact, and reduced opportunities for stress regulation are main concerns. Another main threat is an increased risk for parental mental illness, domestic violence, and child maltreatment. Especially for children and adolescents with special needs or disadvantages, such as disabilities, trauma experiences, already existing mental health problems, migrant background and low socioeconomic status, this may be a particularly challenging time.”
Among the issues cited:
“In most countries, children have not been allowed to use regular playgrounds, social group activities are prohibited and sports clubs are closed. Social relations have been strongly limited to closest family members. In several countries, contact to peers has been prohibited or severely limited.
This can have a negative impact on children and adolescents given the importance of peer contact for well-being. Many countries have experienced a lock-down of schools. As pointed out by a recent review, school closures may not have a major impact on reducing infections and preventing deaths.
Hence, possible negative consequences such as loss of education time, restricted access to peers and loss of daily structure need to be taken into account when estimating the advantages and disadvantages of this particular measure.”
TREND FORECAST: This is just the beginning of mental breakdowns not only among children, but also in people of all ages in every country fighting the COVID War. From teenagers, young adults, and middle agers to senior citizens, within just three months, the entire social structure has been dissembled and rebuilt with draconian government rules. Hiding behind masks, socially distanced, no parties, weddings, visits to elder care homes or funeral homes, governments’ New ABnormal rules have destroyed the natural human spirit.