A clinical psychologist in Northern California and the creator of the popular YouTube channel The Psych Show, Ali Mattu, believes that younger people are having more difficulty mentally because Covid has taken up such a larger portion of their time.
Many young people have become hypervigilant as a result of the pandemic because we have taught them to associate going places with the possibility of contracting a serious disease.
As he sees it, young people are quick to act on their feelings because our brains don’t fully mature until we’re in our mid-20s. Some people’s reluctance to leave the safety and familiarity of their own homes is referred to as “anxious avoidance.”. Some have interpreted it as “overconfident approach,” which describes the unmasked behaviour of teens and young adults at parties.
Dr. Mattu’s advice to parents on how to help teens and young adults who are withdrawing is to help them develop four key skills. People who can “do things on their own, such as run errands or do what is necessary to get through a day” can meet the expectations of their families and society as a whole. Teachers, counsellors and parents are all options for getting help. You can also ask for support from others who have been in the same situation.
Lastly, “the ability to support their peers, because teens are really focused on their relationships with each other,” said Dr. Mattu, who conducted the study. Peers are the first to notice when a fellow student is in distress. In the fourth skill, students learn to “find a larger community,” which can be anything that helps them feel connected and has a sense of purpose.
It’s not uncommon for young people to encounter difficulties as they re-enter the workforce after an absence. Instead of trying to avoid similar situations in the future, they learn to cope with their anxiety and try again later on in life. If you’re interested in driving my teenage daughter around downtown Chicago, please let me know. That’s fine; you can do it on your own. When she didn’t show up, her friend contacted us and informed us of her absence. Our daughter had typed in the correct address into Google Maps, but it was in the wrong city.
When we finally got a hold of her, she was stranded on the side of the road, frantic and terrified. She wailed, “I just want to come home.” Several of our closest friends who live nearby offered to drive out to pick her up. My daughter was humble enough to accept their assistance.
My daughter returned to the highway a week later to meet a new friend. As she set out on her own, I told her, “This is you, being resilient.” “I’m so happy for you!”
