María del Mar Jódar: «We have noticed an increase in cases of suicidal ideation»

In just a few months, the pandemic has had significant effects on the quality of life of practically all human societies on the planet; However, this does not mean that all segments of the population have experienced the COVID-19 crisis in the same way.

In this sense, age is an aspect to take into account when taking social and health measures to protect the most vulnerable. Adolescents are part of those population groups most exposed to the negative effects of the pandemic, and that is why during the months of coronavirus crisis, psychotherapeutic care centers have adapted their activity to respond to this context exceptional.

We will talk about this with the psychologist María del Mar Jódar García, a professional from the PsicoAlmería team with years of experience in the care of adolescents.

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Interview with María del Mar Jódar García: the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of adolescents

María del Mar Jódar García is a Health Psychologist

expert in cognitive-behavioral therapy and Third Generation Therapies, as well as a member of the PsicoAlmería center.

Do you consider that adolescents make up a segment of the population that is especially vulnerable to the coronavirus pandemic?

COVID-19 has been a before and after for everyone. The situation we are experiencing since the appearance of COVID-19 has resulted in many people having a psychological discomfort that they are not able to handle, seeing how health worsens in a short time psychological.

We have all experienced social isolation, but there are certain ages when this phenomenon can be especially important.

In PsicoAlmería we have noticed an increase in the cases of minors who have difficulties in relating to their peers, as well as eating disorders, suicidal ideation and self-harm.

With the objective data that we are receiving regarding the increase in adolescents who come for consultation compared to the number prior to the pandemic, if we can consider that adolescents are a more vulnerable population and that it has been more affected by the pandemic.

What are the elements of this pandemic that you consider have the most capacity to damage the mental health of adolescents?

The main elements that have had and are more capable of damaging the mental health of adolescents are their sudden changes in routine, isolation from their peers in a physical academic context and the deficit of coping skills with respect to unexpected adverse situations in society (such as the pandemic caused by the COVID).

What we are observing is that the routine changes that adolescents have undergone with respect to the stage prior to the pandemic have led to changes and disorders related to sleeping and eating, voluntary isolation and the esteem.

Something that in PsicoAlmería we have also seen is that not having followed the programmed education has led to difficulties in studies in students who had not had problems so far. Many times associated with those other changes that we have talked about previously and that produce a decrease in mood and tolerance to anxiety.

How has the pandemic affected adolescents?

Adolescence is an important period to develop socialization with peers and independence, not in vain, one of the characteristics of adolescence is the change to their peers as references to compare their reality or experiences.

Adolescents have experienced important changes in their routine, an important part of their life is school / institute, being the main place where they socialize.

Research and data are still being collected in this regard, but the general conclusions we see are that the The pandemic has led to increased stress, pathological grief, depressive symptoms, irritability, insomnia, anxiety and afraid. Depending on how much the context has changed and the tools we have to deal with it can lead to different disorders and problems such as depressive disorders, anxiety, eating disorders or suicide.

And this is what is also being reflected in the data collected. In Spain, one of the most alarming data is that given by the ANAR Foundation, which indicates that calls from minors associated with ideation suicide and suicide attempts have increased by 244.1%, 246.2% in the case of self-harm and 826.3% in disorders of feeding.

Is it known if the cases of suicide or attempted suicide in adolescents have increased in recent months?

Before confinement, suicide was already among one of the main causes of unnatural death in Spain. Being more common as age increases. Thus, minors are considered less prone to suicide; however, during lockdown and the remainder of the pandemic, there has been an increase in suicidal behaviors by adolescents not previously observed.

In PsicoAlmería, we have especially noticed an increase in suicidal ideation and self-harm in adolescent cases. I would like to add that self-harm often has an emotional management function and the thoughts associated with taking one's own life do not. means that the person wants to commit suicide, however, they are indicative of a great discomfort that they cannot manage and do not have to go through it high.

And although there is no previous behavior that is a clear indication of suicide, there are certain behaviors such as suicidal ideation, previous attempts or self-harm that correlate with a higher probability of suicide.

To this must be added that suicidal ideation that accompanies suicide is much more common than suicide in all age ranges and especially in adolescents. There are also alarming data that indicate a rise in suicidal ideas in adolescents, as well as self-harm.

What frequent psychopathologies in young people can be more aggravated in the context of a coronavirus crisis?

How We Have Observed Adolescents, like children, are especially vulnerable to change. They continue in constant development of structures and functions, especially in the nervous system that continues to develop at that stage.

And, in addition, on a personal level, each adolescent has a family and personal history, previous experiences, a socio-economic situation that surrounds him, as well as material resources and emotional These variables, especially for adolescents with previous psychopathologies, have been important when it comes to worsening or not after the pandemic.

Regarding the frequent previous psychopathologies that have been likely to worsen, we find anxiety disorders, especially social anxiety, mood disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders to a greater extent related to the fear of contamination and cleanliness, and eating disorders.

How should psychology be adapted to support adolescents in the face of these kinds of health and social crises?

For years psychology and other health specialists have been warning of the importance of intervention and prevention in suicide. Above all, greater support is necessary at the political and social level, since in society it is usually a taboo subject and the importance and repercussions of this problem are not reported.

In addition, there is a lack of resources for health workers and teachers, to be able to coordinate it from the institutes and primary care where specific training on these problems is often lacking. It would be relevant to strengthen the environments that surround adolescents with new measures, and that in turn we will provide new data to continue with the necessary investigations and to know what indicators may be associates.

And what should families do?

Suicide prevention is teamwork, where family members can play a very important and essential role.

The first step in preventing suicide is detecting it, we have already mentioned that there is no behavior that can predict a suicide attempt, however, we can be attentive to certain signs such as hopelessness and / or sadness, suicidal ideas and / or verbalizations that indicate suicidal ideas, write goodbye notes, the handover of valuable possessions, isolation, the presence of sleep and appetite disorders, voluntary changes in your routines that indicate that you are missing well.

In these cases you must use the empathy, validate, give support against overprotection and provide them with professional help.

If we think that a family member is thinking of taking their own life, the first thing we can do is offer our support and understanding. Many people are reluctant to talk about it because of the false idea that talking about suicide can increase the probability that they will commit suicide.

But the relief that occurs when being able to talk about it inhibits suicidal behaviors, it does not promote them, in addition, Knowing what you are going through means that you are no longer alone facing a situation you do not know how get out.

Sometimes people who are going through a situation like this are not able to tell the people who are closest to them, behind it there may be different reasons such as feeling ashamed of what happens to them or not wanting the people around them to worry about them, therefore, it is advisable to give them the option of speaking with a professional in a safe space.

My colleagues from PsicoAlmería and I, through face-to-face and online sessions, emphasize the importance of providing that space of security in which the adolescent can express himself comfortably, and we will therefore help him to overcome the situation that he is going through.