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Tengrinews.kz - Research has shown the long-term impact of quarantine during the pandemic on the psyche and mental abilities of young people, according to dw.com.
Isolation issues
21-year-old German resident Lena still finds it hard to remember the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to her, she was a good student and enjoyed going to school before the pandemic.
"It totally stole our lives. We couldn't see our friends anymore. Everyone was just glued to their phones," Lena said.
The girl notes that instead of playing volleyball like before, all she could do was just "binge-watch series." She has already lived through this unpleasant period in her life. But as she noted, some of her former classmates and acquaintances have noticeably changed after quarantine, their character has worsened.
Memory loss and headaches – consequences of the pandemic
Most young people experienced the restrictions related to COVID-19 just like Lena. This conclusion is confirmed by research in Germany. Many young people complained that their problems and interests were ignored during this period.
"This is about feelings of loneliness and helplessness, and the experience of suddenly being ejected from everyday life, without knowing, 'What is being taken from me? How can I shape my future?' Young people care about their future plans, too," said the president of the Federal Association of the Child Protection Association in Germany.
Darina Falbova, an anthropologist at Comenius University in Bratislava, conducted a study among Slovak adolescents to identify the most common long-term physical and mental consequences of quarantine.
"According to the study, school closures, contact restrictions, and curfews significantly contributed to the rise in psychological problems among young people. The most common long-term symptoms include memory weakness, concentration problems, difficulties solving problems, and finding the right words," Darina Falbova said.
Moreover, such symptoms are more common in women. There are also physical consequences, such as decreased performance and headaches.
Other studies show that many teenagers suffer from eating disorders, anxiety, and depression even five years after the quarantine was introduced. Women also reported menstrual irregularities, which may be associated with stress and hormonal changes after COVID-19, the expert believes.
According to the researcher, psychological problems were common among teenagers and young people even before the quarantine. Academic pressure, social networks, climate factors, anxiety, and economic uncertainty were already leading to an increase in depression. However, according to Falbova, the pandemic has worsened existing conditions and introduced new symptoms. Studies have shown that anxiety, depression, and cognitive difficulties have increased significantly among young people.
During and after the pandemic, the concerns and problems of young people were often not taken seriously. Parents spent less time with them, because they were considered to have a lower risk of serious consequences from infection.
What to do if the pandemic hits again
The assessment of pandemic responses in science, society and politics is far from complete, but in retrospect, it can be said that some isolation measures were excessive.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that while protecting public health is crucial, the long-term consequences for the younger generation were often overlooked. One of the most important lessons is that mental health should be as important as physical health," said Falbova.
According to Falbova, if another pandemic occurs due to dangerous zoonoses or bird flu, "society and politicians will have to take a more balanced and considerate approach to children and adolescents." For example, holding outdoor activities.
Experts
Darina Falbova – Ph.D in anthropology, professor at the Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. She conducts research in many areas of biological anthropology, lectures on human population genetics, clinical anthropology, DNA instability and human health. Author of more than 20 scientific publications.
