Introduction
While COVID-19 is commonly known for its harmful effects on physical health, few people realize its influence on psychological well-being. The pandemic has introduced a novel virus that turned out to be highly infectious and spread across the world in a very short time, overloading healthcare systems and causing thousands of deaths. Yet, the virus appears to be only one dimension of the pandemic.
In order to constrain the spreading of the disease, governments imposed social distancing regulations, urging people to stay at their homes. In his article, Haseltine (2021) argues that isolation that followed social distancing regulations had a negative effect on individuals’ psychological state, especially affecting young people. While the article discusses the prevalence of loneliness and depression among young people, I agree that young people may be more subject to mental health problems than other population groups, but I do not agree that young people are most affected by loneliness and that they are most subject to stress.
Summary
This section will summarize the article under review. In his article entitled “Young People Hit Hardest by Loneliness and Depression during Covid-19” and published in Forbes in 2021, Haseltine discusses how young people are influenced by loneliness and depression during the pandemic. First, the author argues that the youth is the group of the population most affected by depression and anxiety during COVID-19 (Haseltine, 2021). Second, the article goes on to explain some reasons why young people are the most subject to mental health consequences of the pandemic (Haseltine, 2021). Haseltine (2021) reports that young people feel high levels of uncertainty about their future, lack new experiences necessary for the successful development of their brains, and experience stress. Third, the author says that young people feel lonely more often than other population groups, so their risk of mental health issues increases (Haseltine, 2021). Finally, Haseltine (2021) states that loneliness is stigmatized in modern society. Therefore, the author calls for public education campaigns to eliminate this stigmatization and address young people’s loneliness.
Young People’s Vulnerability
The youth is more influenced by mental health issues than other population groups. The article shows how young people are especially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the CDC online survey, Haseltine (2021) reports that “63% of young people are suffering significant symptoms of anxiety or depression” (para. 3). They increase their use of alcohol and substances since, due to their age, they lack experience in coping with stress in effective ways (Haseltine, 2021). I agree that young people may be more subject to mental health problems. For example, some of them may have strained relationships with their parents. It means that, under social distancing, they have to spend more time with people who do not provide them with the necessary support, which takes a toll on their mental well-being. I have also found evidence that the rate of palliative patients suffering from depression is estimated to be “up to 50%” (Lee et al., 2020, p. 5). When comparing this figure with that provided by Haseltine (2021) in relation to affected young people, I conclude that the youth may be subject to depression even more than dying patients. Therefore, young people appear to be especially vulnerable to mental health issues.
Loneliness
Loneliness is regarded as the major cause of young people’s psychological problems. Haseltine’s (2021) article emphasizes the role of loneliness in the youth’s mental health issues. Speaking of the prevalence of loneliness, the author reports that “sixty-one percent of the respondents aged 18 to 25 reported high levels of loneliness” (Haseltine, 2021, para. 6). Although young people seem to feel lonely more often, I disagree that they are the most affected by this problem. I believe that the youth has more opportunities to cope with their loneliness, even during the pandemic. For example, they can use social networks to chat with friends and turn for psychological help online. Their high levels of physical well-being and technology savviness may aid them in these efforts. In contrast, palliative patients, for instance, cannot use these opportunities as they are often too fatigued to engage in talking therapies and other options (Lee et al., 2020). Thus, although young people may feel lonelier than other population groups, they have more opportunities to address this problem.
Stress
Stress is another common reason for young people’s psychological problems. The article argues that the pandemic adds to the stress usually experienced at a young age (Haseltine, 2021). Haseltine (2021) writes, “For young people who are navigating choices about higher education, their careers, building relationships or deciding when to start a family, the uncertainty of the pandemic can add pressure to already stressful decisions” (para. 5). Although I agree that young people can experience high stress due to worries about their future, I believe that increased stress levels are not limited to this population group. For example, according to Lee et al. (2020), dying patients normally feel stressed, which makes it difficult for physicians to distinguish between normal grief and depression. In addition, I assume that chronically ill and elderly people may also be distressed because of their increased risk of becoming infected. Therefore, I think that stressful situations are not limited to young people, and COVID-19 exerts additional pressure on individuals of all ages.
Conclusion
Haseltine’s article argues that young people are most affected by the psychological consequences of social distancing regulations imposed by governments in response to COVID-19. The author explores how stress and loneliness particularly influence the youth, increasing their risk of developing mental health issues. I believe that young people may indeed be more subject to psychological problems during COVID-19 because of their lack of effective coping skills and insufficient social support, but young people are not the only population group who feel lonely and stressed at this challenging time. The stressful experiences and loneliness felt by other groups should not be undervalued.
References
Haseltine, W. A. (2021). Young people hit hardest by loneliness and depression during Covid-19. Forbes. Web.
Lee, W., Chang, S., DiGiacomo, M., Draper, B., Agar, M. R., & Currow, D. C. (2022). Caring for depression in the dying is complex and challenging–survey of palliative physicians. BMC Palliative Care, 21(1), 1-11. Web.