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Teenagers and children will have to deal with stricter health measures in the coming weeks, as Emmanuel Macron said yesterday. Following these announcements, Dr Stéphane Clerget, child psychiatrist and author of the forthcoming book “The spiritual intelligence of your child: revealing and developing it”*, draws up an inventory of the mental health of children and adolescents. , and provides advice to enable parents to remain vigilant and intervene if necessary.
How has the pandemic affected the mental health of young people?
Worsening of psychological disorders has been observed in children, but especially in teenagers. It is in particular the periods of confinement themselves that have been sources of anxiety and stress which can lead to psychiatric pathologies such as depression or post-traumatic stress. For young children, it is above all the psychological impact on the parents that has been decisive for their own condition. Of course, family bereavements have also had an impact on children.
Concretely, does this translate into an increase in hospitalizations, or even suicidal thoughts?
The increase in suicidal thoughts came from older teenagers, especially those who were out of school. The number of requests for hospitalizations in child psychiatry has also increased, and eating disorders as depressive equivalents have also increased among adolescents.
How are adolescents and children most affected by this health crisis?
They are particularly sensitive to the societal climate. They are affected by their own concerns, but also by those of their parents. Younger people particularly need physical activities and teens dating, two things that have been compromised by the situation.
What should alert parents?
Symptoms such as insomnia, irritability, sadness, eating disorders, psychosomatic disorders such as stomach aches, malaise, or eczema, and of course dark thoughts.
What can parents do to lessen the effects of this period?
They can work on their own anxieties, but also be reassuring, be attentive, encourage as much as possible physical activities, general culture as well as spiritual exchanges.
What could be the impact of tougher health restrictions on their mental health?
There could be a worsening of depressed mood, a pessimistic view of the future, dropping out of school, as well as behavioral disturbances such as restlessness, opposition and aggression.
In your forthcoming book “The Spiritual Intelligence of Your Child”, it is about physical and creative activities to promote spiritual development in the youngest. How to continue to educate children spiritually when the period does not really lend itself to this type of activity?
On the contrary, never has spiritual education been so present and so necessary. This is an opportunity to reflect with your child on what is essential in life, on what makes sense, on the priorities of existence. The forced stay at home will be used to exchange, read, poetize, philosophize, meditate, pray, dream, dream, go through appearances, get to know oneself in depth, one’s hidden skills and with the invisible spaces that surround us. Many parents on the occasion of this pandemic have decided to give meaning to their lives, for example by getting closer to nature.
On the other hand, will the children who have lived through this pandemic have developed positive values such as those mentioned in the book – family values, group loyalty, tenacity and courage – that previous generations had not deployed at the same age ?
Yes, moral intelligence is educated and is fully part of spiritual intelligence. It promotes better integration into the family and into society. In fact, it promotes well-being, self-esteem and social success.
Can we count on the resilience of this young generation to deal with the post-crisis in the best possible way?
Yes, thanks to the support of the parents who, more present than ever – the children are delighted to see the fathers more often thanks to teleworking – can accompany their child in their metaphysical or other reflections and towards the discovery of new centers of interest or sources of pleasure beyond the materialism that stifles their development.
* “The Spiritual Intelligence of your child: revealing and developing it”, Dr Stéphane Clerget, Editions LeducReleased April 14, 2021.