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“Meanwhile, the frequency of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, but also sleep disorders has multiplied by five to ten, and the trend is increasing. The results are worrying. In particular, that such a high proportion of young people today he has suicidal thoughts, “says Christoph Pieh, study director, Danube University Krems.
In February, 3,052 schoolchildren (aged 14 and over) from all over Austria were asked about their mental health. The results show that compared to epidemiological studies prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, mental symptoms have multiplied.
“Particularly alarming is the fact that around 16 percent reported suicidal thoughts daily or on more than half the days. This is a significant increase compared to the latest available data from Austria,” said study author Paul Plener , director of the university clinic. for child and adolescent psychiatry from MedUni Vienna.
Urgent need for action
“There is an urgent need to act here, and at very different points. It is an urgent call to take more into account the psychosocial consequences of the pandemic in future decisions,” said health research expert Christoph Pieh. In addition to prompt psychological care and, depending on the severity, adapted, physical activity should be encouraged.
Another result is the significant increase in cell phone use: about half of students now spend five or more hours on their smartphones every day. This has doubled compared to 2018. “This is even more concerning as the frequency of psychological complaints increases significantly with the increase in daily cell phone use,” explains Pieh. At the same time, there was a clear decrease in physical activity. Smartphones were also used to maintain social contacts in times of restrictions. However, Instagram, Face-Time, TikTok and company do not seem to be able to replace personal contact, be it playing soccer, going out or spending time together.
