After two years, we still read the numbers of Covid victims today. A “count” that has become a disturbing routine.
Since the virus Sars-Cov-2 entered the lives of the inhabitants of the whole world, many things have changed. And not only a health level. The current economic crisis is affected precisely by the effects of the pandemic and then of the war. Never in the modern era had a set of restrictive measures so impressive.
Here because Covid has been equated with a “state of war”. The “fight” against this virus has taken on the outlines of which no one was prepared. Adults first. But above all i children and teens. To understand what is really happening to our childrenwe must do a step back.
Children, teenagers and very young ‘victims of Covid’, a massacre that is too silent
It is undeniable, we all suffered during the lockdown. Paradoxically, much more with the second phase restrictions, which are last an eternityAlmost a year. All the fear of dying is gone as if it were an apocalypse, lscience has sought a solution ma people have lost the landmarks of life. Work, money, routine, but more than anything else the serenity of sharing life with affections and therefore the sociability.
The adults they have somehow managed to “plug the holes” by tapping into extra resources, both economic and emotional. Ours sons they were instead private of those fundamental components for their growth and mental health. Closed at home, without being able to be with friends, studying hours and hours in front of screens, passing by from PC to mobile, from mobile to PC. With the nightmare of catch a virus that he would do little or nothing to them. But with the guilt of passing it on to grandparentsto parents, to companions more fragile.
They were relegated to the house for monthswithout being able release the “hormonal” part in sport, in the evenings out. Condemned for the “Wild nightlife”indicated and treated as “smearers and bearers of death”. Affirmations as heavy as bouldersmade continuously by those who should protect the health (including mental) of citizens. Unsustainable judgments especially for the minds of teenagersstill under construction, yet very fragile. The result? A’massacres of psychiatric pathologies.
In recent times they are cases of depression, suicide attempts increasedle self-harming actions. In the most “fortunate” cases they have been observed post traumatic stress, anxiety, insomnia and sleep disturbances, feelings of strangeness / helplessness, fear of the world external, personality disorders. The phenomenon known as “hikikomori “ Is increasing. Young people no longer find a meaning to life.
The alarm of psychiatrists and neuropsychiatrists: what is happening to our children
Problems in the psychological and psychiatric fields, in Italy and in the world, there arehave always been. A small part of the population – for the most varied causes – suffers from mental disorders. Le pathologies I am very different from themas well as the therapies that are then carried out.
Until now, in our country they were counted about 2 million children and young people affected by neuropsychiatric disorders. Ages vary from zero to 17 years. During the pandemic, emotional and mental illnesses increased by more than 10%. And last May a new alarm It was launched. The trend is clearly growingand in the past 10 years the number of small patients in psychiatry is practically doubled.
I datavery alarming, they were disseminated by SINPIA, the Italian Society of Childhood and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry. This was during the National Day for the Promotion of Neurodevelopment. The trend was already starting, but the pandemic has accelerated and amplified this process. What comes reported by doctors working in the neuropsychiatric sector is especially indifference.
Indifference combined with those already present social imbalancesat inequalitiesat uncertainties given by wars and socio-economic changes worldwide. There pandemicin summary, it has shown how a decrease in collective attention the neuropsychic needs leads to irremediable consequences on the mental health of children and young people. As well as on theirs development of the overall personality. Especially for those who already presented various types of vulnerability.
What we need to do to reverse the trend
Le complaints of the various associations do not give rise to doubts interpretative. There is a lack of facilitiesmissing a approach it’s a integrated system in line with the needs of patients and their families. Urgent one educational, social and health projectand above all acultural evolution in the sector of psychiatric diseases, still seen as a “shame”.
I citizens they are often left alone to manage problems that are too “big”. They’re necessary timely diagnosis and equally timely care and support of various kinds. Economic, emotional and planning. Because those with mental illnesses have the same right as everyone else to develop their potential e live a dignified life.
We are still counting the deaths from Covidthe number of infections every day, the percentages of contagiousness of the variants. Never lads “Victims” of this virus for now nobody counts them.
We adults, we parents, even if we are not experts, we can make our little big contribution. Through listening and interest. We do not have to leave the boys alone, we have to comprehend, without judginge welcome every slightest sign that gets there. We talk to them so ask for help as soon as possiblea fundamental factor for avoid extreme events.