A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
When anxiety effects kids, some become ‘chatty & scatty’ while others become ‘broody & moody.’ Generally the ‘chatty & scatty’ kids become distractible & lose concentration, the ‘broody & moody’ kids become sullen, avoidant & lose motivation. They can become hypervigilant & see threats where they are none. I have written extensively about the treatment [...]
Richard Bryant, UNSW Although Australia is now largely COVID-free, the repercussions of the pandemic are ongoing. As the pandemic enters its second year, many people will be continuing to suffer with poor mental health, or facing new mental health challenges. The effects of recurrent lockdowns, fears about the effectiveness of the vaccines, restricted movement within [...]
Jill Newby, UNSW Many Melburnians are joyous at the prospect of a return to socialising, as the city regains some old freedoms this week following significantly eased coronavirus restrictions. Social media is teeming with images of people looking ecstatic about the end of lockdown. But in stark contrast to these images, some people might feel [...]
Raquel Peel, University of Southern Queensland As some of us return to the workplace, or are planning to do so in the future, we face the challenges of a changed environment of social distancing rules and restrictions. It might be your workplace will set limits on how many people are allowed in the lunchroom at [...]
Lesley Irvine, Queensland University of Technology Many parents and students are engaged in a daily routine of speaking to people via a camera on a computer, tablet or phone during COVID-19 restrictions. This often means finding a quiet place in order to ask a question, provide an answer or share an opinion with a virtual [...]
Associate Professor Nicola Reavley and Dr Amy Morgan The COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed devastating effects on people and communities, with more than 10 million cases and more than half a million deaths globally. In addition to the health impacts, the United Nations has warned of a major mental health crisis worldwide as a result of [...]
Mandie Shean, Edith Cowan University As COVID-19 lockdown measures are lifted, some children may experience social anxiety about the prospect of returning to school. People with social anxiety may fear embarrassment or the expectation to perform in social situations, or worry exceedingly about people judging them poorly. In certain situations, people with anxiety may find [...]
There are of course not many upsides to a global pandemic, but one of them may be that the single biggest threat to youth wellbeing is lessened. Founders of free-play advocacy organisation Let Grow, Lenore Skenazy and Peter Gray, point out that anxiety is an already huge problem for young people that has also been [...]
Schools have been progressively moving classes online due to the COVID-19 pandemic and there is uncertainty over what the next months may bring. This has thrown many year 12 students’ lives into chaos. States and territories are yet to determine what will happen with final year exams. More than 180,000 students are expected to complete [...]
Don't be afraid to talk to your kids about the pandemic. They need to hear from you. Professor Jennie Hudson, Director of Macquarie University's Centre for Emotional Health, has advice that will help. Your children have definitely heard about coronavirus, and right now they are looking to the adults in their life for guidance. Importantly, [...]
