Top Ten Most Overlooked Psychological Impacts of Quarantine on Children and Adolescents

This was inspired by a couple months of research in school in a similar topic. I’ve done loads of reading and research on this that I won’t include though.

No matter your side on the political spectrum, I think we can all agree that despite its benefits, quarantine has taken its toll on mental health. This research is aimed specifically to a potion of the population very vulnerable to this, adolescents.

NOTE - I am not saying that quarantining is bad or ineffective. I am saying that while necessary, there are many psychological impacts.
The Top Ten
1 Lack of Social Development

A majority of social development occurs in both young children and again in adolescence. This lack of social development in these essential times can be extremely detrimental.

Emotional issues and a general disconnect from society may be a result of this.

Going to school vs. taking online courses just isn't the same. For students in college, I feel that it's easier, but for kids who are just starting school, this definitely isn't good for their development.

This is probably the worst part. Just not being able to be around people sucks.

2 Violence

Preexisting family tensions may be exacerbated due to such a large increase in time together. In many cases, this has led to incidents of domestic violence. Children and teens will have no escape from the home and may not have access to resources that a school or activity may normally provide.

Hotlines and police reports have increased significantly after mandatory quarantines started to take effect.

I feel sorry for the people with abusive parents.

3 Decreased Motivation

This goes along with depression, but they are not necessarily tied together. Without friends to see or anywhere to go, it may seem as though there is not much to look forward to.

In regards to exercise, 50% of teens reported reduced amounts of physical activity in quarantine. You can definitely count me in that number.

4 Depression

Of course, this was common beforehand, but the stress, anxiety, and isolation caused by quarantining have led to a significant increase in reported cases of depression and suicide rates. Some sources report that depression rates are nearly tripling.

It's a sad reality, which I'm sure many of those reading this have some experience with.

Something that nobody ever talks about is the increased suicide rates since lockdowns/quarantines have been imposed. This is a prime reason why I don't support lockdowns.

5 Stress

Whether it is due to the uncertainty of the future, internal family issues, or other factors, stress is also being found to be significantly higher.

Stress can lead to cardiovascular issues, reduce the functionality of the immune system (immunosuppression), and increase vulnerability to other mental and physical ailments.

Yeah, I'm going through a lot of stress as a senior.

6 PTSD

While it sounds far-fetched at first, there have been increasing reports of PTSD, especially in young teens, from quarantine. Whether it is from violence, isolation, panic attacks, or deaths within the family, the number of cases of PTSD directly stemming from quarantine is rising.

7 Insomnia

This may be caused by a lack of routine, stress, or preexisting symptoms. Many had a much stricter schedule prior to the pandemic. I'm writing this at 3 am, for example.

Increased screen time is another factor that may be at play here. Sleep is necessary for many functions, but more and more people are struggling to get the proper amount of sleep.

Some people now go to sleep later than they used to.

I am pretty sure I have insomnia.

8 Addiction

In order to cope with a growing list of mental health conditions, many teens may turn to alcohol or drugs. Alcohol consumption in adolescents is up 20% in quarantine compared to pre-pandemic numbers.

This is a very alarming spike, as it shows that many do not have healthy ways to cope with their symptoms.

9 Anxiety Disorder

Again, much like with stress, many factors may be contributing to increased anxiety rates. There are many uncertainties at the moment, causing general anxiety already.

In adolescents, this and uncertain futures after graduating or even during high school and college can increase anxiety. They may be seeing the same expectations despite lacking social and emotional support.

Imagine suddenly developing anxiety during the pandemic instead of living with it your entire life, even as a young child.

10 Lack of Academic Growth

An estimated 93 percent of students have gone through online schooling, many of whom still attend school this way. Using annual test scores as a baseline, it seems that millions of students worldwide have seen a decline in scores.

Many others have seen little to no increase, indicating that their learning may be delayed by distance learning.

I'd say I've gotten smarter, but I haven't been through online learning.

The Contenders
11 Sexual Disturbance
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