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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Ok a few important points 
1. Severe Mental health problems already affecting 20% of young people
Prior to the pandemic 
2. The Pandemic gave rise to conditions that led to this rate of depression and suicide more than doubling.
3.  The Pandemic did not have same degree of Impacts on all youth - upper middle class families were better able to insulate their kids through affording private schools that went in person much earlier and having more resources to do things like escape to the beach/ lake and get medical help. Vulnerable children and youth include those from poor and unstable Family units, youth with LDs/ autism and preexisting mental health conditions, BIPOC, and LGBTQ youth.

[b]Kids’ mental health is in crisis. Here’s what psychologists are doing to help[/b]
Research is focused on child and teen mental health, exploring why they are struggling and what can be done to help them
By Zara Abrams
Date created: January 1, 2023

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/01/trends-improving-youth-mental-health

The COVID-19 pandemic era ushered in a new set of challenges for youth in the United States, leading to a mental health crisis as declared by the United States surgeon general just over a year ago. But U.S. children and teens have been suffering for far longer.
In the 10 years leading up to the pandemic, feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness—as well as suicidal thoughts and behaviors—increased by about 40% among young people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.
“We’re seeing really high rates of suicide and depression, and this has been going on for a while,” said psychologist Kimberly Hoagwood, PhD, a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine. “It certainly got worse during the pandemic.”

[b]The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children’s Mental Health What We Know So Far[/b]

Practicing Prevention and Building Resilience
Even before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, mental health professionals were struggling to meet the needs of the one in five children and adolescents with a mental health or learning disorder. Then the pandemic hit, bringing an upsurge in youth reporting mental health challenges. In surveys now, about 30–40% of young people say they feel anxious, depressed and/or stressed. Parents tell the same story when asked about their kids.

The pace of disruption in our world is increasing, not slowing down. How can we reduce the mental health impacts of the next global public health crisis — and the remainder of this one?

The first step is to identify who is most affected. The Child Mind Institute has been devoted to tracking the impact of COVID-19 on youth and families since the first days of the pandemic. The research highlighted in the 2021 Child Mind Institute Children’s Mental Health Report demonstrates that the most negative impacts of the pandemic have been concentrated in uniquely vulnerable populations. Who are they? Poor kids. BIPOC kids. LGBTQ+ kids. Kids with unstable home lives. Kids with mental health disorders like anxiety, depression or ADHD — especially those who don’t get treatment. Kids with learning disabilities. Kids with autism.

The next step is determining how to help them weather the coming storms. We cannot solve the factors that contribute to risk — poverty, stigma, racism — all at once. Instead, we must focus on protecting at-risk youth and fostering their resilience. How?

Key Takeaways
The pandemic has had meaningful impacts on mental health, but not everyone has been affected to the same degree or in the same way.

Economic instability, living in an area hit harder by the virus, and preexisting mental health problems are some of the most notable risk factors for adults experiencing mental health challenges during the pandemic.

There is less information about children’s mental health specifically, but the available data indicate that many of the same risk factors apply.

However, research and historical context also suggest that young people are resilient and that many (especially those with fewer risk factors) will likely emerge from the pandemic without significant mental health challenges.

https://childmind.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/CMHR-2021-FINAL.pdf
[/quote]

Reminder: here is consensus of experts so far regarding mental health crisis among youth especially girls:

1. Severe Mental health problems were already affecting 20% of young people Prior to the pandemic; 
2. The Pandemic gave rise to conditions that led to this rate of depression, self harming and suicidal ideation more than doubling;
3. The Pandemic did not have same degree of Impacts on all youth - upper middle class families were better able to insulate their kids through affording private schools that went in person much earlier and having more resources to do things like escape to the beach/ lake and get medical help. Especially Vulnerable groups of children and youth include those from poor and unstable Family units, youth with LDs/ autism and preexisting mental health conditions such as anxiety, BIPOC, and LGBTQ youth. [/quote]

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