By: MILO BOYD
Studies show a decline in mental health for kids all around the world as they are thrusted into isolation due to Covid-19
For the past year the world has been in lockdown and we´ve been thrown into isolation as people are forced to socially distance themselves from friends and family. Kids, who are going through massive social developments during these times have been affected negatively.
The Impacts of Loneliness
Humans are naturally social creatures, even the most introverted people crave social interaction in some way. When it comes to children, they need socialization and to spend time with their peers and family, as it’s critical to their well being and development during their influential age period.
On April 6, a neurologist from the University of Oregon named Philip Fisher sent a digital survey to families all across America with children to document how they are handling quarantine. Parents report their children suddenly having fears or anxieties that were not there before, like kids even developing separation anxiety . More and more kids have also been said to be more fussy and anxious by week 12 of the survey. As lockdown continues and kids are more isolated than ever, we suspect to see a trend in declining mental health.
Domestic Violence and Toxic Environments
As we are told to stay home for our safety and protection, many kids go home to find that to be the opposite. Up until Covid, kids who lived in abusive households would use school or institutions as a safe haven away from home, but now are sadly forced to be quarantined with their abusers. Since kids are in their most developmental stage, intense factors like physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect will leave life lasting problems.
Due to stress and social isolation, research has shown that it’s actually possible for domestic problems to rise in households where abuse was not prominent before. Psychologist Josie Serrata, a research and evaluation consultant and co-owner of Prickly Pear Therapy and Training, did a study in 2019 on how societal factors affect . Serrata found that issues causing financial stress, job problems, or loss of support systems can drastically increase risk of abuse. Serrata says. “With this pandemic, we’re seeing similar things happen, which unfortunately leads to circumstances that can foster violence.”
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