The American Institute for Economic Research (AIER) is the non-profit think tank that was the driving force behind the Great Barrington Declaration, a document signed by leading physicians, public health officials, and concerned citizens calling for an end to all lockdowns. (See our 13 October article, “THE GREAT BARRINGTON DECLARATION: NO COVID FEAR.”)
The AIER first warned of the devastating effects on mental health caused by lockdowns back in November, which the Trends Journal covered in our 10 November article, “LOCKDOWN MADNESS: CURE IS WORSE THAN THE DISEASE.”
Not surprisingly, major political leaders and their health experts ignored the clear data, and, to this day, continue keeping the brakes on any full reopening of the global economy and social freedom. Also, not surprisingly, the devastating mental health breakdown in many countries is even worse now. And much of it is happening to young people.
Last Wednesday, AIER released updated data in an article titled, “More ‘COVID Suicides’ than COVID Deaths in Kids.”
Some of the key insights from the article, written by Micha Gartz, include:
“Before COVID, an American youth died by suicide every six hours. Suicide is a major public health threat and a leading cause of death for those aged under 25—one far bigger than COVID. And it is something that we have only made worse as we, led by politicians and ‘the science,’ deprived our youngest members of society—who constitute one-third of the US population—of educational, emotional and social development without their permission or consent for over a year.
We have sacrificed our youths’ lives and future livelihoods in a desperate attempt to save a slim minority of the elderly population who have surpassed the average US life expectancy of 78.8 years and those who were already on their way out.
Overall, deaths per 100K in this age group (5-24 years-old) jumped from 106.4 per 100K in 2019 to 131.7 per 100K during 2020. That’s an increase of 23%—and COVID only accounts for 1.2% of total deaths in ages 0–24 years.”
Proving that data was available showing a relationship between lockdowns and significantly higher suicide rates among young people, the article points out:
“Indeed, as early as July 2020—just four months into the pandemic—CDC Director Robert Redfield remarked there has been another cost that we’ve seen, particularly in high schools. We’re seeing, sadly, far greater suicides now than we are deaths from COVID. We’re seeing far greater deaths from drug overdose.
Between March and August, the National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine reported a 65% increase in calls and emails. The Trevor Project—which targets suicide prevention among LGBTQ youth—saw double its usual call volume. Over 90% of those were from people under 35.”
The article quotes University of Oregon clinical psychologist Dr. Nick Allen, who specializes in how children and adolescents are affected by their environments:
“The stressor that COVID represents takes away [the] good things [in life]. You can’t go to sporting events, you can’t see your friends, you can’t go to parties… we’re taking away high points in people’s lives that give them reward and meaning… over time, the anhedonia, the loss of pleasure, is going to drive you down a lot more.”
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: A word new to most of us, and, unfortunately, much too relevant: “anhedonia,” the technical, psychological term for “loss of pleasure.”
The AIER article provides even more hard data to make the case that lockdown restrictions have been a much more harmful disaster than the coronavirus itself:
“Indeed, during the first eight months of 2020, suicides in Los Alamos (NM) tripled while Fresno (CA) numbers jumped 70% in June 2020 compared to the same month the previous year. Even the CDC acknowledges a 31% increase in the proportion of mental health-related ER visits for 12 to 17 year-olds between March and October last year compared to the previous year.
Suicide is already the 10th leading cause of death in the US, with one death for every 24 attempts. Yet we continue to sacrifice the well-being of 103.3 million youths—equivalent to roughly 31.5% of the US population—out of fear for a fraction of the 4% that live past the average life expectancy of 78.8 years.”
TREND FORECAST: The devastation caused by lockdowns, which lack scientific data to support them, as we have detailed in this and numerous issues of the Trends Journal, goes unreported by the mainstream media and politicians across the globe. The draconian COVID War measures forced upon society will have long-term negative socioeconomic implications.
