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Families being cooped-up closer together and for longer periods during the pandemic has led, in part, to a growing waiting list for counselling among Richmond youth.
That’s the impression of Johnny Lo, a clinic director and child and youth mental health therapist at Richmond-based Youthwise, which specializes in helping young people with mental health challenges.
“There’s definitely been an increase in the number of youth seeking mental health support, that much I know,” Lo told the Richmond News.
“The reality, I think, is that people are more stressed, there’s more tension and anxiety and that has been a pervasive issue.
“I know the waiting list for people seeking counselling is getting longer in the last year or so.
“That can be from anxiety, depression, stress at home, behavioural challenges and anger issues.
“One of the problems is having less time away from the home environment, whether that’s a lack of sports or social time with friends. And that’s on top of the existing challenges that they may be dealing with.”
Lo said there are few families and clients coming to them seeking help with concerns specifically due to the pandemic, such as getting COVID.
“But what I see is that it adds to the challenges that were already there,” he explained.
“It’s case by case, everyone is different, but a common pattern is the added stress of not being able to do what they normally do.
“One of the outlets that people with depression have is hanging out with friends or going for a walk, go watch a movie, go shopping.
“Isolation is very much factor and it makes it much harder for people dealing with depression.”
Lo said one of the simple therapies is making sure they have a regular routine, making sure they’re able to get out for walks or playing a sport.
“Social interactions are important. The parents have an important role to play here with the younger members of the family in maintaining that schedule and those connections,” according to Lo.
