Loneliness, depression, fears or sleep disorders: children and adolescents are suffering from the consequences of the corona pandemic.
Therapists sound the alarm.
The closed day care center, the social isolation, the lack of meeting with friends: the corona pandemic demanded a lot from children and young people.
For some, effects and psychological problems are still noticeable today.
These can be concentration difficulties or sleep disorders, but also fears or severe depression.
The Frankfurt psychotherapist for children and adolescents, Tanja Müller, is also feeling this: "
It is still true that there is a great need * and a high number of registrations
." not relaxed in everyday school life, she says.
And: "I have the feeling that the long-term consequences are only yet to be seen."
Eating disorder severity increases
“Of course, we can see that children and young people are clearly burdened as a result of the pandemic,” explains Dietmar Eglinsky, Director of the Vitos Children's and Youth Clinic for Mental Health in Kassel. "
The corona crisis acted like an amplifier
." That means: Anyone who has already been susceptible to psychological problems is significantly more at risk. In addition, there may also be effects on children and adolescents that would not have been affected without the pandemic. An example from the Kassler Klinik is a ten-year-old boy who has developed anorexia, "that is very unusual". In general, according to the expert, the severity of eating disorders has increased.
The crisis has massively affected young people in their development
: "Young people need the opportunity to go their own way, make mistakes, to try things out," says Eglinsky.
But Corona has narrowed down all of that.
"There was a lack of opportunities to experience, the exchange with peers and possibly privacy at home."
Almost every third child shows abnormalities
It is difficult to say exactly how many children and young people are affected.
According to Caritas, almost every third child suffers from the consequences of the pandemic and shows psychological problems
. “The young people need help immediately. Our psychological counseling centers for children, adolescents and parents are sounding the alarm ”, recently declared the President of the German Caritas Association, Eva Maria Welskop-Deffaa.
Advisory services urgently need to be expanded.
More youth social work, school social work and socio-educational support are necessary.
Digital offers such as the U25 online suicide prevention are also important, low-threshold additions and were in great demand during and after the pandemic, said Welskop-Deffaa.
According to Caritas, the number of contacts in suicide prevention counseling for under-25s rose by 30 percent during the second lockdown.
Depression, anxiety, eating disorders: long waiting for an appointment
The Hessen Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians is also aware that there is a great need for psychotherapeutic support. “We know that some patients have to wait longer for an appointment or therapy. That is not good, because quick help is essential here, ”says KVH board member Frank Dastych. "We have therefore pushed for 18 new colleagues across Hesse to be available at short notice in the field of child and adolescent psychotherapy in
order to meet the increasing demand caused by the pandemic as well as possible".
In addition, the KVH has produced four short films to draw attention to the psychological stress, whether in preschool children or older teenagers.
The clips should help to sensitize the environment - both in daycare and school as well as privately - to possible psychological consequences.
But why is the situation particularly stressful for young people?
Compared to adults, they are hit in the middle of their development, explains psychotherapist Müller.
“You can't make up for that time.” Adolescence is also about developing an identity.
"When you slip into something depressive and lonely, it is usually more difficult to get out of there than in adulthood." In addition, the perspective is very different depending on the age, says Müller.
“For small children in particular, one and a half to two years is an enormous lifespan.
A five-year-old recently asked me: Will Corona stay forever now? "
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Work instead of school, and for a good cause: On Social Day 2021, Hessian students got a taste of everyday working life and at the same time became socially committed.
Because your wages go to the organization “Schüler Helfen Leben”, which launched the nationwide day of action.
The donation will be used to support youth and educational projects for children of the same age in Southeastern Europe and Jordan.
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Note:
Do you have severe psychological problems or have you noticed them in a relative / acquaintance?
Anonymous advice is available around the clock on the free numbers:
- Telephone counseling: 0800/1110111 and 0800/1110222
- Telephone for children and young people: 116111
- Parents phone: 0800-1110550
- Online advice is possible via the websites "telefonseelsorge.de" or "nummergegenkummer.de".
(dpa) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.