Young people have been one of the groups most affected by the pandemic, in terms of mental health, as it caught them in the middle of their socialization stage.
“Psychological problems in adolescents have tripled as a result of the pandemic, whether it be anxiety, eating disorders, depression, or even self-harm,” explains Alicia López Covarrubias, a child and adolescent psychologist. “We have taken away a very important stage of their lives and, in addition, we have locked them up at home.”
Added to this situation is now the elimination of masks, a piece of news that is highly anticipated by some young people, but feared by others, due to their physical insecurities.
Teenagers hide their complexes under the mask
“We have placed a lot of responsibility on young people during the pandemic, saying that they were irresponsible, that they did not value the risk, that they could infect their elders because of the masks,” explains Alicia. “Now they are the ones who don't want to take it off, some out of fear, but most because of physical complexes.”
“The biggest problems arise in secondary school, especially among the youngest”, explains Carmen Rosa Robayna, director of the IES Agustín Espinosa. “40% of the students continue to use it, many because they feel ashamed of the physical changes they are experiencing.
In addition, the director insists that it is a complicated situation, and says that, long before its mandatory use was eliminated, “a student said that she would stop coming to the center so she wouldn't have to take it off.” “And she is not the only one,” she adds.
Carmen Pellón, director of the IES Costa Teguise, agrees with the director of Agustín and points out that approximately 50% of the first-year ESO students continue to wear masks, a percentage that decreases as age increases.
“The little ones have even told me that they don't take it off because they don't like their face, the low self-esteem they have is very worrying”, says Pellón. The director maintains that it is a problem that is accentuated in first-year students, since “they have arrived at the institute for the first time and, since no one had seen their face until now, many complexes arise.”
The psychologist attributes this situation to the constant judgment that young people face daily from the rest of society. "We are at a time when image is highly valued, we see it on social networks, and at that age we have an enormous need for validation."
In addition, preadolescence and adolescence is a stage where many physical changes are experienced, changes that the mask covered until now. "It generates a lot of complex for them to have to show their acne, appliances or blemishes on the skin," explains Alicia. "Masks have also generated many dermatological problems, which add to the pre-existing ones."
"Now they have to make an assessment of how they show themselves to their close groups, but also to the rest of the institute, because that is where they are most sensitive to criticism," she explains. "It is much more delicate for them than for adults.":
However, the psychologist is confident that adolescents will end up leaving the mask aside due to peer pressure. “As some do it, others will be encouraged, they are sensitive to not being part of the minority,” she points out. “Although it is important to emphasize that not all people will take the same amount of time, whether due to emotions, fear, complexes, or insecurity.”
“Right now we cannot talk about a psychological problem, but in a few months, young people who continue to have difficulties taking it off may have to seek professional help,” says Alicia. “But for now it is too early.”
The little ones have grown up with it
In the case of young children, many refuse to remove the mask, but for very different reasons than adolescents. “They have normalized socializing with it, because the pandemic caught them in a time of development,” explains Alicia. “For them, it is normal to use it, so now they have to get used to leaving it aside.”
In addition, the psychologist insists that it will take them a while to “understand that it is no longer necessary”, since “they have grown up in an environment where they were told that those who did not wear masks were irresponsible”. “From one day to the next we are telling them “take it off, everything is fine””, she adds.
“Just as it was difficult for us to convince them that it was very important to wear it to protect their elders, now we have to dismantle that whole idea,” explains Alicia. “Added to this is that they are very abstract concepts, so each child will have their own perception of the virus and the pandemic.”
Carlos, father of two children, says that his youngest son “doesn't want to take it off even in the car, not out of fear, but out of habit, it is another part of him”. “It is going to be a difficult and above all long process,” he adds.
However, the psychologist believes that it is a matter of time before children get used to not using it, since “they function from the model, copying their elders”.
Guidelines for dealing with the issue with them
Addressing this issue with young children and young people can become a challenge for families, either due to lack of communication or knowledge about it. For this reason, Alicia has established some guidelines that can help children in the process. The first step, she insists, is "to normalize each person's time when removing the mask", that is, "not to force them".
In addition, it is necessary to "express to them that the risk of getting sick now is not the same as in March 2020, it has been decreasing", but she also points out that "a process of emotional validation must be done" and explain to them that "fear and shame are totally normal, even today". "The only way to overcome this is to gradually expose them little by little, first in safer and smaller groups and, over time, inviting them to stop using it in front of strangers", adds the psychologist.
She also emphasizes the importance of talking a lot as a family about the issue of self-esteem, as well as insisting that "we are all different, we all have complexes, but we are equally valuable". "It is essential to show them the unconditional love we have as parents, that they understand that however they are we are going to love them, and they have to love themselves too", she explains.
“There has been a real threat during these two years, so we have to understand that it is not going to be equally easy for everyone to stop using a mask,” concludes the psychologist. “We have to leave a personal period of adaptation, not force or judge people who continue to use it.”
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