The COVID-19 pandemic took the world by storm. In a matter of a couple of months, almost every country in the world went into lockdown as a response, and it has had a permanent impact on many industries, predominantly healthcare.
The pandemic is still ongoing, and we’re only now seeing the long-term impacts the virus itself has had, as well as the effects of the lockdown and social isolation. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports the pandemic triggered a 25% increase in anxiety and depression globally.
Psychologists’ workload also increased substantially during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to burnout. In response to a survey in September 2022, 38% of U.S. licensed psychologists reported they were working more than they did pre-pandemic.
Statistics also reveal that adolescent mental health is also in crisis. Since 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and huge shifts in school and social routines, adolescent anxiety and depression have doubled globally.
The reality we’re now facing is that there is a shortage of psychologists and mental health professionals due to burnout, while more people require professional assistance, especially teens. The importance of accessible mental health care from professionals like those qualified with a Master’s in School Counseling or a Master of Social Work online can’t be understated.
On top of all of this, we’re still seeing new research surface regularly, with findings that we could not have predicted in years gone by. One recent study, conducted by researchers from the University of Washington found that lockdowns have had an aging affect on teenage brains.
The Study
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has highlighted links between the COVID-19 lockdowns and how disruptions in routine can contribute to behavioral problems. It also reveals how these routine disruptions impact brain development and increase the risk for eating disorders, anxiety, and depression.
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS). They began the study using MRIs from 2018 to see how the brain structure of 160 teens from the Seattle area developed over time.
The study featured a nearly equal number of boys and girls, who ranged in age from 9 to 19 at the start of the study. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns, however, the researchers couldn’t do follow-up brain scans until 2021—so they shifted research focus to how the lockdowns affected adolescent brain structure.
Results and Findings
The study involved measuring the thickness of the cerebral cortex—the outer layer of the brain’s surface, located on the top of the cerebrum. It carries out essential functions in the brain, including reasoning and decision-making.
The cerebral cortex thins naturally over time as a person ages, however, other factors, like stress can also cause premature aging. In the three years between the first and second brain scans, the researchers found the teenager’s cerebral cortex had thinned more than expected.
The researchers discovered the brains of the teen boys had prematurely aged by 1.4 years, while the teen girls showed an accelerating age of 4.2 years. They believe this could be due to the stress and emotional turmoil caused by the pandemic.
Lead researcher Patricia Kuhl, co-director of I-LABS, said “As we age, the thinning of the cortex is associated with less fast-processing time, with less flexible thinking, with all of the things that we associate with aging… All of the teens in general showed this accelerated aging.”
Another brain scan study in 2022 showed similar changes in cortical thickness in teen brains during COVID-19 lockdown periods. The researchers from this study compared the stress and disruptions of the pandemic to how childhood trauma can prematurely age an individual through violence, neglect, and family dysfunction.
Us Teen Mental Health
Since 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been reporting unprecedented amounts of mental illness, suicidal thoughts, and hopelessness among teenage girls and boys.
Two new studies from the Boston Children’s Hospital also reveal that self-harm, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts have increased among adolescents since COVID-19. They partnered with public health departments in 14 U.S. states to gather study data.
Boston Children’s Hospital found that 10- to 19-year-olds accounted for a greater share of total suicides in 2020 than in previous years. Their share also increased from 5.9% in 2015-2019 to 6.5% in 2020.
Adolescent mental health continues to worsen
The most recent Youth Risk Behaviour Survey Data Summary & Trends Report reveals that mental health in U.S. high school students is at an all-time low. In 2023, four in 10 students (40%) had persistent feelings of hopelessness or sadness.
In the same year, two in 10 students (20%) had seriously considered attempting suicide. Almost one in 10 students (9%) had attempted suicide. The level of emotional distress has only been on the rise since 2020.
Some groups are at higher risk
Statistics reveal that feelings of distress were far more common among female students and minority groups, like LGBTQ+ students, and students belonging to racial and ethnic groups.
In 2023, the same survey found that female students and LGTBQ+ students experienced more signs of poor mental health and had more suicidal thoughts and behaviors than their male, cisgender, and heterosexual classmates.
The Importance Of Accessible Care
Poor mental health and illnesses like anxiety and depression go beyond just an individual feeling sad or having a bad day. It can greatly affect a teenager’s development and also increase the risk of drug use, experiencing violence, eating disorders, and more.
Adolescents with poor mental health also may struggle with school, impacting their grades and career outcomes. Statistics show that healthy students, physically and mentally, tend to have better academic success.
Unfortunately, while adolescents are facing a mental health crisis, school psychologists are facing a shortage. While it has been a problem for decades, the COVID-19 pandemic has made the situation worse.
Not only did the COVID-19 pandemic contribute to the mental health crisis and professional shortages, but it also shines a light on a growing issue, pointing to the need for reform to adequately provide mental health support to those in need, especially within schools and vulnerable groups.