Mental health in danger: kids fight with new fears!

Mental health in danger: kids fight with new fears!

The mental health of children and adolescents in Germany remains alarming, as current studies make it clear. A survey by the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) shows that the psychological stress among adolescents has not come to the level before 2019 since the end of Corona pandemic. Around 400,000 young people continue to suffer more in autumn 2024 than before pandemic, whereby new fears-especially before war, terror and climate change-have increased, according to an investigation that was presented in the Copsy study (Corona and Psyche) as part of an online event. Federal Youth Minister Lisa Paus emphasized that 73 percent of young people are extremely stressed by the Corona restrictions, which is also underlined by the report of the interminister working group on the health effects on children and adolescents, such as bundes- government.de reported.

effects of pandemic and increasing fears

school children had suffered from closed educational institutions and lack of social contacts, which resulted in learning residues and lack of movement options. The evaluation of 2865 families shows that mental health is affected in around 22 percent of those surveyed. Particularly good reasons for this development are the increased use of digital media, which is connected to the increase in bullying and exclusion. Here, the study author Anna Kaman found that every additional hour of media use deteriorates the mental health of children.

The working group has also emphasized that social disadvantage - like a low education horizon of parents and confined living conditions - is an almost unavoidable risk factor for mental health. The cabinet decision to support children and adolescents provides for measures in areas such as early aid, school health and youth welfare in order to enable them to grow healthy and stable under difficult conditions. The proposal to anchor support mechanisms at daycare centers and schools was particularly emphasized so that they are accessible to everyone.