The year after the COVID-19 pandemic began, the number of emergency room visits by teens who intentionally harmed themselves skyrocketed, according to a report released Thursday. It is part of a broader regional and national trend of worsening young people's mental health.
The report, produced by Common Ground Health and Coordinated Care Services, compiles troubling health data, along with anecdotal data gleaned from dozens of interviews with youth across Monroe County. There is.
One child said, “I feel like all my human relationships have disappeared due to the effects of the new coronavirus infection.''
“It's embarrassing to be so emotionless,” said another.
This shows that emergency department visits for self-harm among people under 21 increased sharply from 2020 to 2021, especially among girls and Hispanic youth.
More than a third of Monroe County youth surveyed said their mental health was “poor” during most or all of the pandemic. More young people say they have difficulty concentrating and making decisions.
The main recommendation is to help youth rebuild supportive relationships with adults and with each other. Among the ideas for accomplishing that are hyperlocal structures like block clubs and “neighborhood hubs” like schools, libraries, recreation centers, and small businesses.
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“I was staying at the rec center after school and it felt like a community and there were people there who actually cared about us,” said one youth. “I don't know where else you can get it from.”
Adding new trauma to existing trauma
The report describes the new coronavirus as the “third ACE.” The first of his ACEs is an adverse childhood experience, a well-established marker of trauma. The second is the disadvantaged environment of local communities, with broader social impacts recognized, such as a lack of economic mobility.
Examples of the negative effects of the new coronavirus cited in the report include:
- Sudden and significant disruption of daily life, such as distance learning
- Social isolation from friends and colleagues
- family stress increases
- Increased screen time and presence on social media
- Uncertainty when planning for the future
“We didn't realize how social we were, how many friends we had, how much we'd seen each other before we lost it,” one young man said.
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The report also calls for discussions to destigmatize mental health both in and out of school. Finally, it states that “young people should be integrated into decision-making at all levels,” and this can be achieved, in part, through leadership and advocacy training.
Children in Monroe County 'need it' agape We love you,” Melanie Funchess, director of mental health and wellness at Common Ground Health, said in a press release. “Unconditional love that shows up and gives of itself without expecting anything in return.”
If you have a mental health condition and need help, call 988, text 741-741 or visit 988lifeline.org.
— Justin Murphy is a veteran reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle and author of “Your Children Are Very Greatly in Danger: School Segregation in Rochester, New York.” Follow him on Twitter twitter.com/CitizenMurphy Or contact me at jmurphy7@gannett.com.
