Lend a helping hand

How we can assist our youth to cope with these troubled times

According to a study published in the Asian Journal of Psychiatry, over 53% of Indian university students suffer from moderate to extremely severe depression. The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns haven’t been kind to the students, who were among the worst hit emotionally. Around 58% experienced a significant increase in their stress levels and severe deterioration in their emotions of anger, anxiety, loneliness, hopelessness, and happiness. Looking into complaints received over the past year and a half, the top three issues turned out to be: The pandemic has tested many young relationships with partners unexpectedly being separated from each other. For many, it led to breakups. Many were anxious and worried about the impact the pandemic would have on their career prospects and placements. Added to this was the ever-present anxiety of contracting COVID-19. Many fought feelings of loneliness and isolation brought on by lockdown and strict social distancing. All this also led to a fall in confidence.