the way we learn best is by feeling safe—we are really able to be more present, and our attentional and motivational systems are much more engaged in learning. Children learn best in safe, predictable environments, where they feel connected.
Feeling safe is definetely better than feeling unsafe. I believe that if we are surrounded by love and support by our loved ones, then we will have a better time accepting and dealing with whatever feelings that may be plaguing our mental health.
pregnant women are often connecting with others in terms of the shared experience. And, in our own study, there were very significant concerns around isolation and loneliness. We know that prenatal and postpartum anxiety and depression are huge concerns. Typical rates range between ten and fifteen per cent, but the current rates are much higher. So I think that is real cause for concern.
This is concerning. Even unborn babies are being affected by the affects of the pandemic. I can't begin to imagine how prenatal and postpartum anxiety and depression increased during this time.
young adulthood is really a period when people are figuring out their sense of self, figuring out their identity, moving from the family they were born into to developing their own relationships and maybe developing a family of choice, a professional identity. It’s a time for exploration. And I think part of what a communal trauma like this does is it certainly increases uncertainty.
I relate to this on a personal level. Young adulthood is a time when people are discovering themselves and figuring out their identity. And this pandemic may have increased uncertainty and stress. Self care is important more than ever.
for children to learn and see how parents and adults might cope with something like this, how they engage in self-care, how they prioritize their own health needs. This is also a situation where parents engaging in their own health care and their own self-care is probably one of the best things they can do for their own kids.
This is a perspective that I didn't think about. When talking about mental health, we are usually implying our own mental health. But parents must also engage in their own health and self care in order to properly support their children on an emotional level.
this trauma has shaken our sense of trust and well-being and predictability and safety, we do see and hear about an extraordinary outpouring of support for one another. And one possible outgrowth of this experience may be that not just our hopes but our efforts toward a more equitable and compassionate society might actually increase.
I agree with this statement. No one saw this pandemic coming. And while there has been acts of violence, there has also been acts of kindness and support.
the idea that emotional health is important and central to health is now more common than ever, and it reduces the stigma around it.
This is very true. This pandemic has negatively affected many people, negatively impacting their mental health. Yet the fact remains that there is there is still stigma that surrounds the idea of mental and emotional health, especially in some cultures, and I wish that there wasn't because it would allow people to better accept how they are feeling and that their feelings are relevant. And it would push people to understand each other better.
So I think there are ways in which we can learn from prior mass disasters, but also recognize that this is a pretty unique stressor that we haven’t experienced before.
I agree and disagree. This certainly isn't the first pandemic we've had, but as the article states, it is unique considering it's on a global scale and in the modern age where things are much more complex and advanced then they were back then.
very effective adjunct to working with a therapist
While the use of digital tools is most certainly a step in the right direction, I just have to add that I hope that people don't consider reading articles on the internet and images on instagram as a substitute for therapy altogether.
there’s been successful implementation of this in different health-care settings across the country, and I think they are becoming more common, which I think is important and promising. Basically, these are integrated models of care where mental-health assessments and interventions are integrated as part of routine care visits, whether it is pediatrics or internal medicine.
What are these new emerging models? I'm glad that flaws in the healthcare system are being highlighted in this article.
a video visit requires a stable Internet connection, which is not always possible and not available to every family, and so I think the fact that it also includes phone sessions is important. To me, that is one very concrete example of how policy related to mental-health care can be a game changer.
While tele-mental health care/video calls have their advantages, it also requires a stable internet connections, which isn't always available and possible for every family, as the article states. I wish that the importance of mental health was more focused on and taught in schools and that more people should be educated on mental health and what they can do to better take care of themselves, especially during these times.
They need an adult to help them develop those routines and structures in this adapted format. And having that sense of stability and predictability—it’s true for all ages, but kids really benefit from that.
Adults play a role in helping children develop a sense of stability and structure during these times.
need a supportive, responsive adult, at least one responsive caregiver, to really help them understand what’s happening, to cope with it in terms of thinking about what they’re feeling, what they’re experiencing.
This is very true. Everyone, children especially, need a supportive and responsive caregiver who can help them better understand what's happening, and to cope with whatever they might be feeling about their current circumstances and situation. And above all, they need a supportive caregiving environment that enables them to have in-person interactions because digital tools aren't going to provide them with the emotional support that they need.
We are hearing about an increase in rates of severe anxiety and depression-related concerns. We also know that this may have been even more challenging for people who were already struggling with mental-health concerns. There is emerging data to show that rates of self-injuring behaviors have increased as well.
I can't begin to imagine how this pandemic affected those who have already existing mental health conditions. And the fact that individuals, and children especially, were not getting the right amount of exercise is definitely a concerning factor to think about.
When it became clear that a pandemic was going to change our lives, what were you most concerned about, in terms of mental health?
If I were to answer this qustion, I'd say that it wouldn't have affected my mental health as it meant that I would get to stay within the comfort of my own house. I would find out later that I was wrong.
how children and adults deal with trauma, the distinct challenges facing young adults, and how lessons from the pandemic can be used to improve mental-health care going forward.
Main idea
Dr. Archana Basu, a clinical psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and a research scientist at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
Dr. Archana Basu, psychologist and research scientist.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has took a drastic toll on the mental health of Americans and individuals around the world. Public-health officials are concerned by the half a million deaths in this country alone. And a year of isolation, closed schools, and lost jobs has had traumatic effects on many Americans, children especially.