The Covid-19 pandemic has cast a long-lasting shadow over the mental health and development of young people worldwide. As many of them struggle to adapt to the social, academic, and emotional repercussions of the crisis, experts have raised concerns about the generational impact of these disruptions. The pandemic, which caused widespread isolation and uncertainty, particularly affected younger populations, leaving behind a trail of anxiety, depression, and developmental setbacks that continue to affect millions.
For individuals like Amelie, a French university student who was 19 when the pandemic began, the experience has been life-changing. “I came face to face with everything I had been repressing – and it triggered an enormous depression,” she recalled. Now, five years later, Amelie continues to receive treatment for her mental health, a reminder that the psychological scars of the pandemic run deep. Unfortunately, she is far from alone.
Research from around the world confirms that young people bore the brunt of the mental health crisis caused by the pandemic. In France, nearly a fifth of young people aged 18-24 reported experiencing depression in 2021, as per a survey by the country’s public health agency. Across the Atlantic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 37% of high school students experienced poor mental health during the same year. Additionally, a large study conducted in Finland and published in The Lancet Psychiatry highlighted an alarming rise in anxiety, depression, and social anxiety among teens, with the trend continuing into 2023.
These statistics paint a troubling picture, especially for those whose formative years were interrupted by lockdowns and restrictions. For many, the pandemic marked a pivotal moment in their mental and emotional development, and the consequences of forced isolation have become an ongoing struggle.
But the effects are not confined to the older youth population alone. The next generation of children, particularly those who were just beginning school during the pandemic, has also experienced significant setbacks. A review of 40 studies across 15 countries published in Nature Human Behaviour found that children have not yet caught up on the delays in their learning and emotional development caused by extended school closures.
Bastian Betthauser, the lead author of the study, referred to this issue as a “generational problem.” Many children, particularly those in their early school years, have missed critical opportunities for both academic and social growth. These gaps are particularly troubling because the effects are not likely to disappear soon. In the UK, for example, school absences reached unprecedented levels during the 2023/2024 academic year, with the education agency Ofsted acknowledging a post-pandemic “shift in attitudes” towards school attendance.
Simon Kidwell, the principal of Hartford Manor primary school in Cheshire, England, spoke to the long-term challenges created by the pandemic. “Academically, we caught up quite quickly, but we’ve seen a huge spike in children needing to access mental health services,” he said. The effects of this ongoing strain are particularly evident in the increasing number of children requiring special educational support. Kidwell also mentioned that younger children are now showing signs of developmental delays in areas like speech and language.
The pandemic has also exacerbated challenges faced by children with special needs. Many children with ADHD or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) had very different reactions to the lockdowns. For some, the school environment – often noisy, chaotic, and overwhelming – was difficult to cope with, and the quiet of isolation was a welcome relief. Selina Warlow, a psychologist working with children with ADHD and ASD, pointed out that for some children, the transition back to school has been difficult. “The school environment is really overwhelming. It’s loud. It’s busy. Being in a class of 30 other children is really difficult for them,” she explained.
On the other hand, some children with these disorders struggled with the loss of structure and routine that school provides. The pandemic also meant that many children missed out on early intervention, which could have made a significant difference in their development. Warlow emphasized that early intervention is crucial for helping children with special needs and that the loss of that support has had far-reaching consequences.
In addition to these challenges, experts warn that the mental health effects of the pandemic will not be easy to reverse. Young people have been dealing with elevated stress levels, anxiety, and depression, often without adequate support. These issues are compounded by the stigma that still surrounds mental health, particularly for younger generations who may feel uncomfortable seeking help.
While some countries and institutions are beginning to address these issues with expanded mental health services and educational support, much more needs to be done to ensure that young people receive the care they need to recover from the pandemic’s lasting effects.
As we move further into the post-pandemic era, experts stress the importance of providing young people with the tools they need to cope with the challenges they face. This includes increasing access to mental health care, providing resources for emotional and academic support, and addressing the long-term consequences of the disruptions to their formative years.
The psychological toll of the pandemic on young people is a generational issue that will require concerted effort from governments, educators, healthcare providers, and communities to address. As the world continues to recover, it is crucial that we do not forget the youth who are still grappling with its effects.
