The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting people mentally, as well as physically, across the world, and in our local communities. As a 16-year-old high school student-athlete, I feel the isolation of not being with my peers and the anxiety that comes with not being able to participate in activities that I love.

While I understand, rationally, the reason why I am not able to attend school or participate in sports, I wonder about the social/emotional health of our nation’s youth. According to the New York Times, “The proportion of children’s emergency room visits related to mental health has increased significantly during the pandemic, highlighting concerns about the psychological effects that lockdowns and social distancing have had on youth’” (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/12/health/covid-teenagers-mental-health.html).

Finding ways for young adults to feel connected to each other should be paramount. Adults say that kids are the future, but how are we going to grow and have a future with the loss of connection and severe depression?

We need to formulate plans for students to safely return to school and adults to be employed and working.

We need to recognize that the mental health of our nation can be a bigger issue than physical ramifications.

Anxiety and depression symptoms are increasing, drug and alcohol use is growing, and most importantly suicide numbers are rising.

As recently as last week, an 11-year-old boy lost his life to suicide during his Zoom class (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/california-boy-11-fatally-shoots-self-during-online-class/2020/12/02/577f48a6-3522-11eb-9699-00d311f13d2d_story.html).

When are we going to start talking about a possibly bigger public health crisis claiming the lives and livelihoods of American citizens right now, and how do we recover our mental health? If we do not get back to normal, or take baby steps to normal, will we see more deaths from suicide than COVID-19?

Rachel Cram

La Conner