Pandemic takes toll on the mental health of teenagers

The decline in mental health among teenagers was intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic with studies observing sharp increases in anxiety, depression, aggression, self-harm and, most prominently, online addiction, experts warn ahead of a three-day conference at the University of Athens (UoA) starting Wednesday.

“Removing pupils from the school setting seriously hindered the learning process and caused online addiction and high-risk online behavior to skyrocket,” Artemis Tsitsika, assistant professor in pediatrics and adolescent medicine at UoA, told Kathimerini ahead of the 22nd International Association for Adolescent Health (IAAH) European Regional Conference organized by the Greek Society of Adolescent Medicine.

Online addiction is diagnosed among 62.7% of teens, up from 40% before the pandemic, Tsitsika said, adding that around 20% show “serious withdrawal [symptoms] from daily commitments and activities.”