Aibu to think that a lot of kids are extremely anxious after lockdown?

[MrsHookey]

I've got one child who seems extremely anxious since lockdown. Anecdotally it seems like a few kids I know are like this. Is this a wider thing? Are mumsnetters finding their children have become anxious since March 2020?

I've a fair few teacher friends and the ones teaching secondary have said it's had a shocking impact on many of them. Poor teens, a very vulnerable age.

Yes definitely

How old are your children @MrsHookey ?
I haven’t found this with mine or their friends (junior school age).

My DD isn’t anxious but she does seem extremely angry. She’s 9

Of course. The lockdown enthusiasts would tell you otherwise though.

There has been an explosion in MH issues in children, particularly teens, as a result.

Woefully underreported

Yes definitely I see it in my own child and I'm certainly seeing it professionally too.

I work with a child who has problems that two years ago would've been considered severe but have been told basically good luck in regards to getting professional help as they're at the end of a very long list.

Yes, sadly I have seen this both personally and professionally.

Yes of course, people will insist it hasn’t though as “children are resilient”

Definitely.

I was talking to some teachers for a project I'm involved in in work and what they're seeing is really sad and concerning, particularly those that teach disadvantaged kids.

Yes, I volunteer with teenage girls and pretty much every single one now has anxiety issues which are limiting them in participating. It's very sad.

Yes. My 9 year old since the last lockdiwn and school closures. It's very sad to see.

I don’t think it’s just children. I know a lot of adults who are suffering since lockdown as well-it’s been hard for many.

My eldest (secondary aged) got completely depressed during lockdowns, and now it’s clear it has damaged her social skills. She’s much more withdrawn and unsure of herself socially

No not from children I am regularly in contact with. But I do know of a family that really suffered with one of their children. When their kids went back to school (vulnerable children) things improved. I really felt for the family as it was serious.

Primary school one (infants) has bounced back more - he developed anxiety and OCD during the lockdowns but seemed to be able to put it behind him more quickly once schools reopened

I have a 16 year old son and a daughter 13.

They have both struggled in their own ways. My son now doesn't want to leave the house as he worries about bringing the virus home with him. Now only goes to work and school.

My daughter is angry that so much was taken away for so long.

They have had a rough couple of years though. Dad left us, grandmother died in April 2020. Dad had cancer and big surgery and no sooner than he gets the all clear their grandfather gets a terminal cancer diagnosis.

Hard to pin it all on Covid but it really doesn't help things!

Anecdotally my own DC are very changed. We are in the NW so basically had 18 months of lockdown on and off. Youngest used to be so confident and happy and now is very emotional, stressed and insecure. Eldest has ASD and has always been anxious, but now his anxiety is through the roof since lockdowns. It's very sad to see the changes in them both and I really don't know what to do for the best to help them.

I haven't noticed it in my daughter (11) or her friends, but my daughter spent a lot of the lockdown on the livery yard taking care of and exercising horses, so she wasn't just locked at home all day. All her friends seem pretty upbeat too.

In what way are kids more anxious?

@minipie anger can be a symptom of anxiety

Yes. Certainly both mine struggled with lockdown albeit differently. And know many of their friends have too.

I suspect the mental health issues will be felt for a few years yet

@XelaM your daughter had an idyllic lockdown then

Stuck in a 2 bed high rise with 3 siblings and a single parent struggling to put food on the table, no wifi or computer access, and unable to attend school, youth groups, places where food and conversation are provided. For millions this was a reality and I’m swamped at work by referrals to overstretched mental health services and kids who just cannot cope with the world anymore.

and mumsnet would give you a good scolding for going out for a walk in the park too. Airborne covid! Stay inside!

Not a child but my uni going DD has had her whole uni experience messed up- teaching, housing, friends- and is very anxious.

@XelaM I suppose everyone's circumstances are different. We're in an inner city area. I'm a single parent. There has been no livery and no horses. There have been plenty of kids locked up in flats - we are lucky to have a small garden and be a lot more fortunate than other kids. I've one older SEN child and we didn't leave the house/garden for months at a time during lockdown as my older SEN child thought covid began at the garden fence and got very upset.

Yep, youngest especially. He's okay in his comfort zone but really struggles with going places, crowds and trying things if he doesn't know whether he'll manage it or not. School have been good so at least he'll go there.