COVID-19 RELATED STRESS AMONGST CHILDREN
COVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan, China, which then spread throughout the world to create a global pandemic. Several countries declared it as a national emergency due to the lakhs of cases piling up. Millions of people were forced to go into lockdown unexpectedly, which meant a complete disruption of routines. Such a unique scenario seemed to not only cause the levels of stress and anxiety to rise in adults but also seemed to cause a tremendous impact on children and their mental health.
The uncontainable nature of the virus has driven the government to take various social distancing measures that are intended to reduce the spread of the virus. The major step taken for children was, shutting down schools until further notice which lead to the cancellation of classes on campus and shifted them to online platforms. This sudden shift from a physical learning environment to a completely contactless one, with limited social interactions, was the beginning of all the other issues that the children currently have to deal with. Within this pandemic era, children find themselves cramped in their houses sitting for hours staring at their pc screens. This meant that there is no option for them to play with their friends, go out cycling, or even to take up outdoor activities like the usual days.
All the sudden changes in the children’s lifestyle alongside the constant fear of catching the virus has caused them to be burdened with mental pressure. Children across the globe have reported frequent instances of body ache along with a disturbing mood. COVID-19 related stress is also evident in the shift observed in the dietary and sleeping patterns of the children. In fact, children have also begun to respond to the stress by disengaging and having a lack of concentration. Most of them are easily distracted. Completing assignments under such a burden has led to a depressing environment.
Many children sought help for the stress by dialing up the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) which is an initiative in the form of a tele-counseling service set-up for children seeking psychological and emotional support. With children finding an outlet to communicate all their issues and fear, hopes are that anxiety and stress rates amongst children will drop from the currently alarming levels.
If you or someone you know feels that they are facing mental health issues or any anomaly in their normal routine, feel free to Dial — 1800–121–2830 (NCPCR’s Number)
Contributed by Tyra Colaso, Content Writer at Mitti Ke Rang
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