The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently declared a mental health emergency for children and teens. They say the COVID-19 pandemic worsened a problem that already existed. The AAP said suicide rates among teens steadily rose between 2010 and 2020. Doctors say social interaction is vital to youth development. “If you think about the teen years, the young years, getting out, socializing, getting an identity — these are the core developmental tasks of these stages of life,” Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI CMO told CBS Mornings. “Isolation, not feeling safe in the world has made it all much harder.” The National Alliance on Mental Illness lists warning signs which can include a drop in school performance, and altered sleep schedule and feeling withdrawn.
