A pandemic that has completely upended lives has led to an increase in anxiety among young people, experts say

Barnet Pavão-Zuckerman’s 10-year-old daughter worries about her parents when they leave their home in Silver Spring, Maryland, to get groceries.

She’s concerned about her grandparents, too. And, though she’s been busy with virtual playdates and online learning, she’s bothered by the thought that she may never get to see her friends or teacher again in person.

“This is kind of a lot,” the girl told her mom recently.

Her seven-year-old brother is still too young to express how he feels in words. So instead, he screams and storms out of the house. Then, he sits cross-legged in the driveway, taking deep breaths.

“This is truly the most stressful time that they’ve ever experienced,” Barnet said.

A generation of children and teenagers in the US who were born under the specter of international terrorism, raised during an economic recession and educated under the threat of near-constant school shootings is facing yet another trauma: a pandemic that’s already racked up a devastating body count and completely upended their lives.

“All of those environmental factors have led to an increase in anxiety among our young people, and I think this will only add more fuel to the fire,” said Nance Roy, chief clinical officer at the JED Foundation, a not-for-profit that partners with schools and colleges to strengthen their mental health programs.

Mary Alvord, a Maryland-based psychologist, likened the pandemic to the second world war because “when you go to war, it’s sort of across the board”. Asked if the health crisis would be a defining moment or shift for children, much like 9/11 was for millennials, other mental health professionals called it a “burgeoning reality” that was on its way, if not already here.

“I certainly see it as being one,” said Janine Domingues, a psychologist at the Child Mind Institute in New York.

But, she countered, “just like with 9/11, there are ways in which we can increase resilience in children, and teens, and young adults, and even for us”.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Molly Maguire, eight, uses chalk to calculate an addition problem in her driveway. At least 55.1 million students have been impacted by school closures during the pandemic. Photograph: Reuters

At least 55.1 million students have been affected by school closures during the pandemic, roughly 97% of all public and private school students in the US, according to Education Week. Classes have gone virtual and, in some cases, are pre-recorded instead of live. Huge swaths of kids are ditching classes and pre-existing inequalities within school districts are only getting worse despite schools scrambling to supply students with the technology they need to keep learning.

“We’re so privileged,” Barnet said. “There’re other kids in the class that, if their parents have to work … do they have the wherewithal to get on the laptop?”

As the US struggles with more than 600,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases – by far the most anywhere in the world – it’s unclear when schools in hard-hit cities and states will reopen.

New York City has said all public schools will remain closed for the remainder of the academic year, and the city’s mayor, Bill de Blasio, empathized with kids cooped up at home.

“There’s too much information available, too many real difficult things put before our children, even in normal times,” said De Blasio. “Now think about what these last weeks have been like for our children. Think about the disruption. Think about the confusion and in so many cases the trauma.”

Back in Silver Spring, Yamel Alcantara’s two-year-old has become clingier than usual, asking to be carried most of the time. Alcantara’s six- and eight-year-olds have started washing their hands more often, to the tune of Happy Birthday or The ABCs. They would prefer to be at school, but instead they’re doing distance learning, playing with dolls in their backyard and riding bikes.

“I’m actually surprised by how well they’ve taken it,” Alcantara said.

Some young people are happy to stay home, mental health professionals said, especially younger kids who are more family-focused or young people who don’t like school. But others are struggling.

“I think that for a lot of children, this is going to be traumatic, but how people respond to trauma can range from them being passive and withdrawn to them being angry, and irritable, and agitated. So there isn’t going to be any universal response to this because that’s not how trauma works,” said Sarah Y Vinson, a psychiatrist in Atlanta.

Children already dealing with pre-existing psychological conditions are among the most vulnerable to exacerbated mental health concerns. Stephen Neff, a psychiatric nurse practitioner in New Jersey, said he’s had times lately where every slot on his schedule fills up and gets double-booked. Janine Domingues, a psychologist at the Child Mind Institute in New York, said at least half her patients have experienced an increase in their symptoms.

“There is a higher risk for people who are struggling with pre-existing mental health conditions, but at the same time, the crises that we’re facing – financially, emotionally, socially – are worrisome for everyone,” Roy said.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Lydia Hassebroek looks out at the view from her window in Brooklyn, New York. Photograph: Caitlin Ochs/Reuters

Some children are also dealing with more serious traumatic events related to Covid-19, such as the sickness or deaths of family members, or relatives experiencing job losses that make it harder to feed their loved ones. Those personal tragedies could put kids at greater risk of lasting mental health effects, said Domingues.

“It might be nice initially to have [a parent] at home all day,” Neff said. “But I think if they begin to be clear on the financial reality or they see things tighten up, I think that is probably gonna be yet another layer of concern.”

Minority communities are shouldering more grief than others, as victims of the disease in some parts of the country are disproportionately black and Latino.

“The mental health burden on kids from this is not gonna be equally distributed because, you know, the major losses are not equally distributed,” Vinson said.

Mary Alvord, a Maryland-based psychologist, said that she’s heard from kids who think of Covid-19 as a potential threat to themselves, a radical shift from a month ago, when they were primarily concerned for their grandparents.

But a lot of young people are still just grappling with their much lonelier new normal. The almost universal stay-at-home orders across the US have meant a necessary retreat into technology. There’s no more sports, prom or graduation. Friends are always a screen away even as alerts about the risks of Covid-19 flood the TV or pop up online.

The World Health Organization, which has in the past warned against “gaming disorder”, is actively encouraging people to play video games. “Thank goodness” for social media platforms, Roy said, so at least young people can stay connected.

But scrolling on Instagram isn’t always enough. In Littleton, Colorado, Barnet’s sister Gretel had to have a serious conversation with her 17-year-old son after he snuck out to visit his high school girlfriend. “He couldn’t see [the] bigger picture,” Gretel said.

Her 15-year-old son has fared much better. When she walks into his room, he’s safely playing video games while FaceTiming with his friends.

“This is an unprecedented time. But you look at kids who survived wars and bombs. And so, you know, I feel like for the most part we really can build resilience and be OK,” said Alvord.

Barnet’s daughter just celebrated her birthday, during the pandemic. She had to cancel her Harry Potter-themed party, but her family made a cake and got takeout from her favorite Italian restaurant.

In the morning, a bunch of friends and neighbors gathered on the street outside her house, six feet apart. They brought drums and sang to her.

“She was totally mortified, but I was crying,” Barnet said. “It was really sweet.”