Lack of social context during the pandemic, an unsustainable school environment and stress are some of the reasons why more children and young people feel bad today.
Since 2017, the number of children who apply for child and adolescent psychiatry (bup) has increased steadily, a new survey shows.
The number of children in need of help from bup has increased by 14 percent since 2017. And last year, 160,000 more visits were made than five years ago, according to the survey carried out by Sweden’s Municipalities and Regions (SKR).
During the pandemic, access to school and social contexts decreased, which may be a contributing factor to many children and young people starting to feel worse mentally, according to the Swedish Public Health Agency and Bris. But even before the pandemic, the need for care began to increase. Ing-Marie Wieselgren, psychiatry coordinator at SKR, points out that the negative development is also about stress, an unsustainable school environment and lack of routines in the home.
– I think it is today’s society and our way of life that has increased in this. We live in a stressful environment and there are also requirements today to be social and handle a lot of information, it is difficult for some children, she says.
Increase in more serious eating disorders
The survey also shows that the need for round-the-clock care for eating disorders in bup has increased sharply in many regions. Several regions have also reported that more serious types of eating disorders have increased during the pandemic.
– There are several reasons that may be behind it, the ideals we have today and the focus on appearance. Pandemics and times of unrest are more stressful for those who already have problems and the pandemic may also have contributed to waiting for help, says Ing-Marie Wieselgren.
Longer queues
Last year, 6.2 percent of all children and young people up to the age of 17 had contact with bup. Due to the fact that the need for care has increased rapidly, the waiting times have become longer. In 2021, 60 percent of all referred children and young people received a first visit to bup within 30 days.
– More than half of all cases that come in are about neuropsychiatric investigations, and there is pressure from society to get such investigations, says Ing-Marie Wieselgren and continues:
– We may have had a superstition that an investigation into bup will solve everything. We need to think about giving efforts more step by step and that you should not have to get a diagnosis to get support in school.
Capacity in bup continues to increase in all regions. But more is needed to reverse the negative development according to Ing-Marie Wieselgren.
– We need to strengthen mental health among children and young people in general. It is crucial and it is not something that healthcare can handle on its own, but requires strong efforts from all parts of society.
Facts
You can turn here if you feel unwell
There are several organizations and authorities in Sweden that work with mental illness and to prevent suicide.
If you are under 18, you can contact a health center, youth clinic, student health or child and adolescent psychiatry (bup) where you live.
If you are an adult, you can book an appointment at a health center, psychiatric clinic or at your occupational health service. You who are 20–25 can also contact a youth clinic.
In case of emergency or suicidal ideation, always call 112.
Here is also help:
Breeze: Call, email or chat, phone: 116 111.
On-call priest, telephone: 112
On-call fellow, telephone: 08-702 16 80
Mind: chat.mind.se, [email protected], telephone: 90 101.
The Swedish Public Health Agency also has a collection page with information and advice for those who are mentally ill.
Source: mind.se
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