Youth in the Corona crisis: "You feel powerless"

Created: 02/15/2022, 06:01

By: Dominik Stallein

The corona pandemic is having an impact on the mental health of children and young people.

© Imago

Family counselor Barbara Hofmann talks about the psychological consequences of the corona pandemic for children and young people: They suffer socially and emotionally.

Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen – After two years in a state of emergency with constantly changing regulations, young people in particular are longing for an end to the pandemic.

Experts repeatedly emphasize that children and young people in particular suffer from the situation.

This can also be seen in Barbara Hofmann's everyday life.

She heads the ecumenical educational advice for parents, children and young people of Caritas and Diakonie Oberland.

In an interview with our volunteer Dominik Stallein, the expert talks about the psychological consequences of the pandemic for adolescents.

Barbara Hofmann, Head of Ecumenical Educational Advice for Parents, Children and Young People.

© Caritas

Ms. Hofmann, public life is restricted.

2G applied in youth centers, school lessons became a back and forth between the classroom and the children's room.

How is the pandemic affecting your work with children and young people?

Barbara Hofmann:

Young people haven't felt that their needs have been understood for a long time.

There is insane pressure from the school that the children simply cannot compensate for.

Anyone who missed material during the lockdowns can hardly keep up.

Some students were demoted a grade in December.

This is a huge challenge for them – especially from a social point of view.

In what way?

Barbara Hofmann:

In the past few months it has already been very difficult to maintain social contacts and maintain friendships.

When they change schools or are deferred, the young people are then torn out of the social structure of the class.

Some feel a certain powerlessness because they just can't really maintain their friendships.

Aren't young people in particular so affine with social media that it's easier for them to keep in touch without contact?

Barbara Hofmann:

That's true.

Of course, the trend is always going there.

According to our observations, girls and young women in particular spend a lot of time on such platforms – even more than before the pandemic.

But that cannot replace the personal contact with friends that would be so important to her.

Why?

Barbara Hofmann:

Chats or social media have a completely different quality.

Some have trouble getting back into proper social contact all of a sudden.

And conflicts that are now being fought out on these portals should actually take place in real conversations.

A lot of people have a really hard time with that.

You also need to be able to use social media.

Instagram, Facebook and Co. are not considered to be incredibly conducive to a healthy psyche.

How does that show?

Barbara Hofmann:

There are different effects.

The world is painted very pink by many users on these platforms.

Some Snapchat or Instagram users can only be seen on these portals with filters over their faces.

Others doubt their bodies because they see other people's flawlessly edited photos.

Young people are presented with a world and an ideal that they are chasing after and that they can never achieve.

This leads to everything from self-doubt to depression or eating disorders.

Back to the general situation: Which groups are particularly affected by the restrictions?

Barbara Hofmann:

First of all, it affects everyone.

However, the situation is more difficult for young people who already experience a certain disadvantage.

Several factors can play a role here: migration, for example, or if you live with a single parent.

Upcoming separations in the family are also a big factor.

By the way, they increased during the pandemic.

If there are already difficult issues in the environment anyway, the challenge becomes even greater for the young people.

After almost two years in a state of emergency, everyone is annoyed by the pandemic.

How does this exacerbate the problem for adolescents?

Barbara Hofmann:

One effect of this, for example, is that arguments and conflicts in families are increasing enormously.

Everyone is at the limit, has had enough of the situation, everyone is loaded.

That doesn't make living together in families any easier.

But on the contrary.

The pandemic dominates everyday life.

The number of infections and deaths is reported daily.

What does that do to young psyches?

Barbara Hofmann:

Fears play a bigger role in young people's lives.

They are constantly confronted with issues such as illness and death.

Some worry that it could be their fault if someone else gets infected.

Many lose their courage, their light-heartedness, with which they otherwise go into the world.

The topic of Corona is always present - it affects the psyche of young people.

There is currently a lot of discussion about vaccinations and the corona measures.

Is this an adult-only issue or does it affect teenagers?

Barbara Hofmann:

That doesn't stop at families and children.

It is a great burden for them when the parents - for example on the subject of vaccinations - are completely at odds.

But this can also cause a split in the social structure, such as a class or a circle of friends.

Access to some offers is - or was - closed to the unvaccinated.

Do friendships break because of the vaccination status?

Barbara Hofmann:

In a way, yes.

We were very critical of the 2G rule for young people.

I think it's wrong to exclude the unvaccinated, who aren't even allowed to make their own decisions.

As a result, youth workers in the clubs can no longer get close to the adolescents.

And that in a situation that is so challenging for young people.

Where are these children fleeing to?

Barbara Hofmann:

We see – sometimes even with 13-year-olds – that they hang out on the street and already consume alcohol at this age.

Many, especially boys, gamble a lot and hardly ever leave the front door.

They withdraw, isolate themselves in the shelter they create for themselves.

What do you recommend to parents or friends who see such tendencies in a young person?

Barbara Hofmann:

First you have to ask yourself whether the relationship is good enough to address this problem yourself and to be able to talk about it openly.

If parents are not sure whether they can get hold of their child - keyword: puberty - they should not shy away from asking acquaintances or seeking contact with friends who have access to the child.

(You can read the latest news from Wolfratshausen, Geretsried and the surrounding area here)

If that doesn't help and the families look to you for help, how do you go about counseling?

Barbara Hofmann:

It's about creating a different perspective for the young person.

He or she should find the solution themselves.

We cannot accept that, but we can accompany you on the way there.

How do you do that?

Barbara Hofmann:

By asking specific questions, for example: "Have you ever felt differently?" "How would you feel if this or that problem weren't there?" Often they then find an approach that makes sense for them .

The knowledge is in every client.

The advisor only helps to find it.