THE article headlined “Pain of youth” in theSun dated June 6 deserves close attention by health professionals, parents and carers.
These stakeholders should heed the warning by Dr Chooi Weng Tink of Universiti Sains Malaysia – findings that youths are being affected far worse in Covid times as “they are just not well equipped for the transitions that they may face”.
Hence, it is important to urgently and properly deal with this worrying hidden epidemic. Our Health Ministry estimates over 400,000 kids are struggling with mental health issues, made worse by the Covid-19 isolation.
It is pertinent to note that a research by Unicef found that even in an advanced nation like Australia, a proportion of young people there felt that their ability to cope well with life had plummeted to 31%, in the face of dealing with the dire Covid pressures.
Understandably, our youths may feel left out with parents’ focus on the pandemic and loss of income or jobs. It is not surprising to learn that they have been affected in various ways including implications from continuing their education and social interaction in relative isolation.
Online lessons mean undesirable, intense and prolonged screen time. Hence, it is critical we realise the added level of stress, anxiety and uncertainty among our youth, which will negatively impact their ability to cope.
To compensate for our youths’ lack of maturity and experience, parents and carers need to step up in developing a strong supportive role.
It is important that our youths are nurtured to be resilient and mentally well balanced.
Medical intervention, by way of drugs, should be a last resort.
Sze Loong Steve Ngeow
Kajang
