Scientists: the covid pandemic caused a wave of psychoses among American youth

As noted in the CDC report on the results of the study of the health of 17 thousand American high school students, the results of surveys in 2021 were the worst in 30 years of observations.

"We have never seen such frightening results", - Kommersant quotes Kathleen Ethier, head of the Department of Children's and Schoolchildren's Health.

According to the CDC, in 2011, 28% of schoolchildren showed signs of depression. However, now their share has grown to 42%. Against the background of the coronavirus pandemic, more than 40% of high school students in the United States sometimes experienced such intense sadness or hopelessness that they were unable to perform routine tasks and study. At the same time, more than one in five (22%) thought about suicide, and 18% developed a specific plan. Ten years ago, 8% of children tried to commit suicide, and in 2021 year — already 10%.

Scientists said that the mental state of the girls was much worse than the condition of the boys. The proportion of schoolgirls experiencing signs of depression increased to almost 60% in 2021.

Scientists associate a sharp deterioration in the mental state of schoolchildren with a long period of forced isolation, a reduction in the time of real communication and the mass transition of schoolchildren to virtual communication in social networks. These factors caused increased anxiety and depression in children.

In order to offset the harm caused to children's health by the pandemic, scientists are asking to reform the system of prevention of mental health problems of young people in the country. In the secondary school program, they ask to introduce a subject dedicated to conflict resolution, combating loneliness and stress.

Earlier it was reported that during the study of the condition of Russian schoolchildren, scientists also noted the negative impact of coronavirus isolation on the mental health of children.