Youth in pandemic: I have felt my mental health spiraling down the drain - Youth Journalism International youthjournalism.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from youthjournalism.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Social media is crucial when social distancing
December 31, 2020
Salma Amrou/YJI
As the disruptions brought on by the coronavirus pandemic swept across the world, young people adapted the ways they stay in touch with their friends and family.
In interviews with Youth Journalism International reporters, more than 50
youth on six continents talked about using social media to maintain relationships in the era of social distancing.
In Bojnurd, Iran, Sanya Zardkanlu, 21, said she is spending more time with her family and staying in touch with relatives and friends using social media. The whole experience makes her appreciate things more than she used to, Zardkanlu said.
Finding ways to cope with quarantine
December 31, 2020
Bilge Nur Güven/YJI
Regardless of where they are on the globe, teenagers are dealing with the ongoing problems of the coronavirus pandemic in unique and creative ways, from cooking and exercising to social media and everything in between.
Youth Journalism International student reporters interviewed young people around the world about coping with quarantine.
Getting creative
As teenagers stopped going to schools, gyms, cinemas, and meeting with friends, they were deprived of doing the simplest of things, like shaking someone’s hand or socializing.
“I stress bake,” said Sophie King, 15, of McLean, Virginia, who said she also re-did her room, moving all the furniture and painting everything.
Grafitti in Istanbul. (Bilge Nur Guven/YJI)
Spending their lives in repetitive confinement because of the coronavirus pandemic, young people the world over said they are struggling with loneliness, worry, sadness, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.
In a wide-ranging series of interviews with Youth Journalism International reporters, 56 young people from 18 countries discussed the impact of the pandemic and quarantine.
“I have felt my mental health spiraling down the drain,” said Riddhi Goenka, 19, of Kolkata, India. The news gives her anxiety and there are problems at college and issues with her family, she said, adding that she tries to talk with friends but feels that no one understands the heaviness of her thoughts.
Eating poorly and stuck at home, youth struggle to stay healthy in the pandemic
December 31, 2020
Tahsina Nawar Adrita/YJI
Young people around the world said the coronavirus has impacted their physical health, especially during periods of quarantine or lockdown.
In interviews with Youth Journalism International, youth living on six continents said they ate less healthy foods and dropped workout routines, leading to unwanted weight gain.
Others adopted new, healthy habits that made a positive difference in their health.
Nicolle DeGroft
“I gained weight, which is really awesome,” said Nicolle DeGroft, a 17-year-old in Suffolk, Virginia, who added almost 7 kilograms. “During school, I was underweight. In the last 45 days, I’ve put on 15 pounds.”