The COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of lockdowns in Britain led to an extra 60,000 secondary school children in England tipping over into clinical depression, according to researchers from University College London (UCL).
The report said children reporting depressive symptoms such as low mood, loss of pleasure, and poor concentration rose by six percent after the virus arrived in Britain in March 2020.
One of the authors of the report, Dr. Praveetha Patalay said: “Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, there had been widespread concern about rising mental health difficulties among adolescents. We have found the pandemic contributed to a small additional rise in mental health difficulties among adolescents in England. As the pandemic is ongoing and many of its negative impacts may be long lasting, there is a need to prioritise young people and resource sufficient support for their mental health and wellbeing.”
…