The Nazarene

Wellbeing Report 

COVID Fatigue & Youth Mental Health

With the extension of lockdown, we are all experiencing COVID fatigue to some extent.The physical impact of the pandemic has mostly spared our young people, however as the country remains to be on alert and in various stages of lockdown, restrictions continue to be mandated. The pandemic has had a great affect on our young people, with many paying a heavy emotional and developmental price. Psychological disorders are on the rise and emergency interventions have skyrocketed.As hard as it is being a young person today, it's also draining being the parent of one! It has been reported that many parents are struggling to keep their child's mental health afloat, often proving it is difficult to juggle parenting responsibilities whilst at the same time providing much needed emotional support for their children. Unlike the coronavirus itself, the emotional impacts of the pandemic cannot be vaccinated away. Psychologists are seeing more depression and anxiety across all age groups, but in adolescents it seems to be on steroids, with some choosing to self-medicate using alcohol or other drugs. When they look into the future now, they're looking at one that wasn't what they envisioned before.The following SchoolTV report explains the current state of youth mental health in a post-COVID era and offers guidance on how best to support young people today. In it, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg covers expert advice, such as:

  • Choose your battles, focus on the important things, such as health and safety
  • Focus on what can be controlled, such as sleep, diet, exercise and staying connected with friends
  • Focus on the positives
  • While we can’t control what happens, we can control the way we think about it
  • Looking after your wellbeing enables you to help your children

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg speaks of the website moodgym, which is an online self-help program designed to help users prevent and manage symptoms of depression and anxiety. It is like an interactive, online self-help book which teaches skills based on cognitive behaviour therapy. More information can be found at moodgym.com.au/info/faq

 

Here is the link to your special report:

https://nazareth.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-covid-fatigue-youth-mental-health

 

PRACTICE GRATITUDE

Dr Lea Waters, a leading Melbourne Psychologist, has researched the power of gratitude as one of the key ways to deal with COVID fatigue.

Gratitude plays an important role in helping children cope with the stress that they are going through.

By teaching your children the value of gratitude, it can help them keep their focus on the positives around them. It can also help them maintain hope and remain as happy as possible despite what’s happening.

Gratitude gives us the energy we need to see past the negativity we’re feeling because of COVID fatigue. Help your child see the positives in their life – in Australia we have a great deal to be thankful for.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help. Please be assured that we will continue to closely monitor our students to assist them through this difficult time.

 

Ms Jackie Kol

Director of Wellbeing