The Pandemic’s Lingering Effects on Youth Anxiety & Depression

The lockdowns are over. The masks are off. But for many teens, the emotional weight of the pandemic is still here.

Youth anxiety and depression did not disappear when schools reopened. In fact, for a lot of us, the return to “normal” only made the mental health crisis more visible. The pandemic may have been temporary, but its effects on our generation are lasting.

🧠 What Changed During the Pandemic

Between isolation, uncertainty, and constant disruption, the pandemic created the perfect storm for mental health struggles.

Here is what many teens experienced:

• Missing major life milestones like graduations and performances

• Losing daily structure and motivation

• Spending more time online and less time with friends

• Facing grief, illness, or financial stress at home

• Feeling disconnected from teachers, peers, and support systems

Even students who were doing fine before 2020 started feeling overwhelmed. For some, anxiety and depression became a constant background presence.

📈 The Numbers Are Clear

According to the CDC, rates of youth mental health struggles increased sharply during the pandemic. One in three high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2021. Emergency room visits for mental health crises also spiked among teens.

These are not just statistics. They reflect a generation that is still recovering, even as the rest of the world moves on.

🏫 Schools Are Struggling to Respond

Schools were already under pressure to support student mental health. After the pandemic, that pressure got worse.

Many schools do not have enough counselors. Some students report long waits for appointments, or no access to mental health services at all. And in too many places, emotional well-being is still treated as an add-on instead of a priority.

Students need more than motivational posters. They need real support.

💡 What Can Help

We cannot undo the pandemic, but we can respond to its effects. Here are some things that make a difference:

• Lowering the counselor-to-student ratio in schools

• Training teachers to recognize and respond to mental health concerns

• Normalizing therapy, rest, and emotional check-ins

• Creating peer support programs and safe spaces for students to talk

• Prioritizing mental health just as much as academic success

  
  

💭 Final Thoughts

The pandemic changed everything. And for Gen Z, that includes how we experience anxiety, depression, and what it means to feel okay.

If we want real recovery, we have to stop pretending everything is fine. Mental health needs to be treated as a core part of how we care for this generation, not a side issue we hope will go away.