Teen Depression and Anxiety Increases due to Coronavirus Pandemic

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many students have faced a decline in their mental health.
December 14, 2020
With self-isolation normalized during the COVID-19 pandemic, students find themselves face-to-face with mental health problems that are amplifying.
Teenagers who live in America anxiously wait for life to go back to normal, however, normal for now, can be loneliness and closed doors.
That is how Maria feels. Her name has been changed for personal reasons, but her story is real.
“My friends and I can talk online about our feelings and stuff, but it is much better to see them in person,” said Maria.
Depression is an illness that causes one to feel negatively about how they feel, think, and act. Symptoms of depression include: loss of interest in activities which were once enjoyable, trouble sleeping, thoughts of death, and loss of energy.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), reports that nearly 3.2 million 12-17 year olds have had at least one major depressive episode in the last 12 months.
These numbers have severely increased due to the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the State of Mental Health in America, adolescents aged 11-17 who accessed a screening were nine percent higher than the average in 2019. Throughout the pandemic, this age group scored from moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Maria said that her depression was going on for a while, but it did not get serious until her freshman year.
She believes it comes with being in high school especially now that it is online.
The pressure to stay happy and focused as well as succeed in online school weighs her down.
“Grades matter so much. Especially because they rank us,” Maria said in frustration.
“I am not going to deny it, I am ranked high but I am not the highest,” she added.
We all need support at some point. Sometimes things are too heavy for us to carry or deal with on our own.”
— Sarah Meastas, School Social Worker
The pressure is real, and she understands how difficult it is to feel successful when her depression enables her to focus on her failures rather than her successes.
At the beginning of the pandemic, it was fine because she was used to being lonely.
“But, as the pandemic and quarantine keeps going, I’m like ‘Oh my God, I need human interaction. I need someone,” said Maria.
One thing she does to cope with unusual feelings of loneliness and stress is to focus on something that distracts her from what’s hurting her inside like listening to music.
She believes that the hardest part about getting over something is asking for help.
Her advice to students afraid to ask for help is starting off small and talking to a friend, make music playlists for yourself, and self care.
“Begin to normalize that you don’t have to go through it alone. It is okay to ask for help,” she said.
Sarah Meastas, the school social worker at Godinez Fundamental High School (GFHS), said that since the pandemic began, she’s seen an increase in students coming forward to their teachers, counselors, and families, to seek help regarding their mental health.
Meastas thinks it is important to ask for help because, ”We all need support at some point. Sometimes things are too heavy for us to carry or deal with on our own.”

Meastas had roughly around 20-25 students a week when school was in-person instruction. She notes that in the beginning of the school year, numbers were capped at 10-15 students a week, but the numbers increase every week.
“When you physically got to go to school, that was your opportunity to have your own space and have some independence,” said Meastas.
Meastas believes that quarantine, social isolation, and social distancing guidelines, is the main factor of more and more students feeling anxious and depressed.
“With quarantine and social distancing, we are discouraged from seeing a lot of people and we are not able to do some of the things we used to enjoy doing,” added Meastas.
Through everything that students face, Meastas encourages students to reach out and ask for help, find creativity in their life, and try something new.
Like many other students, junior Diana (who did not want to give her last name) said that ever since quarantine started, her mental health has changed and worsened.
“I was finding it extremely difficult to get out of bed, get physically presentable, and attend school,” Diana said.
Diana said that it is unusual for her to have breakdowns, anxiety attacks, and hyperventilate because people only see a 4.0 GPA student who is “really smart.”
Anxiety is a reaction to stressful or unfamiliar situations. It can cause a sense of dread or distress before or after an important event.
Symptoms of anxiety include: hyperventilation, sweating, massive headaches, nausea, trembling, and various others. Anyone can experience anxiety to an extent, but people with an anxiety disorder report feeling far from normal.
Although Diana’s parents still have difficulty grasping what anxiety and depression is, she stressed that her family is very supportive.
Her mom is the first to calm her down when she has an anxiety attack. Her sister and dad are there to monitor her when she feels anxious.
In a society where mental health is stigmatized, these problems are very hard to seek help for and have conversations about.
Diana said, “We should all be educated into what mental illness is and how it affects others in order to break those stigmas and provide support because we need it.”
One thing that has helped her cope with her mental illness is attending Meastas’s virtual drop ins that take place every Friday during lunch.
Meastas chooses topics that are relevant to the time of the year.
In addition to that, Diana also sees a therapist two times a week, online and in-person.
“Therapy has really been helpful and feels the same whether it is in person or through a zoom call,” said Diana.
Through the help of her therapist, she is getting accustomed to letting herself free and acknowledging her feelings.
She wants people to know that having a mental illness is a common thing and you are not alone.
“I am proud of you because it is not an easy battle,” she added.
Our adviser’s brother-in-law, Dr. William Feuerborn, meets with a lot of patients who are suffering from depression and anxiety.
A licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist with practices in Irvine and Long Beach, said he always liked to help people and wanted to make the world a better place.
Feuerborn, got a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Cal State Fullerton, a master’s degree in Social Work from Cal State Long Beach, and a Doctorate degree in Social Work at the University of Tennessee.
Now more than ever, he suggests teenagers get out of the house and walk as well as find creative ways to be social even if that means virtually.
“Getting contact with the earth and seeing that the world is larger than your home can help,” said Feuerborn.
According to Feuerborn, being a teenager is an important stage of your life so it is sad to see many students suffer in silence. He advises to reach out, ask for help, and find where you need to go.
“Take mental health seriously. We are supposed to enjoy our life and it is not supposed to be unhappy or miserable. Find ways to bring joy to your heart,” added Feuerborn.
If you or someone you know are suffering from any mental health disorder reach out to them. A single text or phone call can brighten one’s day.
The pandemic has enabled us all to feel like we are alone, but the truth is: we are all managing through it in our own way.
“One advice I would give to anyone struggling is go to someone you can trust, but also do it when you are ready,” said Diana.
Reach out, help a friend, and remember to take care of yourself.
“You are not alone. It is important to ask for help. You don’t have to go through what you are going through alone,” said Meastas.
Destiny M. • May 20, 2021 at 11:36 pm
I’ve never been one to suffer from depression or anxiety. But ounce the pandemic hit and we had to stop going to school, we couldn’t see our friends, and we had to basically be isolated from the world that’s when I started to notice I was feeling off. The whole pandemic really turned my world upside down, I didn’t have any social interaction anymore, I couldn’t see my friends, we had to adjust to a new way of learning and there was pressure with school. The pressure with school was that since we are doing school from home there shouldn’t be a reason why our grades aren’t outstanding and are the best they have ever been and like Maria says in the article “Grades matter so much. Especially because they rank us.” that is a lot of pressure itself with having to do good because the school looks at it but also because our parents are pushing for it as well, it puts a lot of weight on your shoulders. Towards the end of the year that’s when my mental health was plummeting so bad and I had hit my breaking point I was done with everything, I didn’t have any motivation to do anything, I didn’t like myself very much, and I was just so tired so that’s when I decided to talk to someone about it. Like Meastas says in the article ” We all need support at some point. Sometimes things are too heavy for us to carry or deal with on our own.” This is so true because ounce I started talking about my feelings and getting help I felt so much better and mental health is so serious everyone should be more informed about it.
Isaac A. • Mar 24, 2021 at 7:27 pm
At the beginning of the quarantine, everyone thought it was going to be an easy 2 weeks but then as time continued, we all began to worry. All these problems going on at once with school closures, business closures, and basically a whole social life gone really took a toll on a lot of people and this article helped show we can support one another. When the whole coronavirus pandemic began, I wasn’t doing too bad until I began to worry even more about what was going on and the whole pandemic messed me up but being able to reach out to friends really helped as well.“When you physically got to go to school, that was your opportunity to have your own space and have some independence,” said Meastes”, I found this very true as I didn’t worry about having to do chores at home and just getting my work done and then going to baseball practice; being isolated really put a lot of pressure on me as I was used to being with a lot of people , and also socializing. I found what Maria said, “The pressure is real, and she understands how difficult it is to feel successful when her depression enables her to focus on her failures rather than her successes.”, very relatable as I worried more about what I wasn’t doing rather than what I had done successfully, and that would make my anxiety worse. I never really struggled with anxiety but being stuck at home really made it worse since I couldn’t go out and try to get it out of my mind. I learned to cope with being stuck at home, but things will slowly go back to “normal” and we will be able to have fun and less stress.
Edgard Aviles • Mar 3, 2021 at 8:26 pm
Teen depression and anxiety has been proven in high school, Meastas and Maria talked about it. Being pressured in school is too much for Maria and “I am not going to deny it, I am ranked high but I am not the highest”. Meastas used to strive to go to school physically and ” to have your own space and have some independence.” Many teenagers are eager to go back to school and are ready to get rid of this anxiety and depression. Many do like it, but is it really fun to replay the same day over and over again?
Nicole Pacheco • Mar 2, 2021 at 9:05 pm
Though I do not suffer from anxiety nor depression I know people who do, one of them being my sister. My sister has struggled with anxiety for years and this pandemic has truly made it more difficult for her. Just like many students who struggle with anxiety or depression it can be really hard for them to focus during online class. For them it feels as though “The pressure to stay happy and focused as well as succeed in online school weighs” them down. It’s one of the reason why so many drop their classes like my sister who took a semester off because the pressure was too great. Which is why I strongly believe that if you know someone who is struggling please “ Reach out, help a friend.” This pandemic has been hard for all of else, but it hits harder for those who feel like their alone.
Sabrina J. • Mar 2, 2021 at 8:37 pm
This article highlighted very valid points of how teens feel under these current circumstances and why being in lock down for longer than expected is slowly mentally draining some of us. With that, being said we all cannot wait till this pandemic is over so that we can have some normality in our day to day lives. But it seems like our “Normal for now, can be loneliness and closed doors,” as stated in the beginning of the article. In addition, since class is no longer in school it’s seen to be hard for most kids to keep up with the work and stay motivated because we aren’t around other students and for that reason the atmosphere is very different. No one gets to see their friends, teachers, or classmates anymore physically so it’s a feeling of being stuck because “when you physically got to go to school, that was your opportunity to have your own space and some independence.” Whereas now we’ve been taken away from that and instead are at home for what seems like forever with our families.
Sabrina J. • Mar 2, 2021 at 8:30 pm
This article highlighted very valid points of how teens feel under these current circumstances and why being in lock down for longer than expected is slowly mentally draining some of us. With that, being said we all cannot wait till this pandemic is over so that we can have some normality in our day to day lives. But it seems like our “Normal for now, can be loneliness and closed doors,” as stated in the beginning of the article. In addition, since class is no longer in school it’s seen to be hard for most kids to keep up with the work and stay motivated because we aren’t around other students and for that reason the atmosphere is very different. No one gets to see their friends, teachers, or classmates anymore physically so it’s a feeling of being stuck because “when you physically got to go to school, that was your opportunity to have your own space and some independence.” Whereas now we’ve been taken away from that and instead are at home for what seems like forever with our families.
Flor Velazquez • Mar 2, 2021 at 7:22 pm
I couldn’t agree more with this article, I’m someone who is “used to being lonely” as well but there is times where I want to find something to distract me especially since school closed. Whenever I felt or feel the need to distract myself and not feel bored I read. When we were in a regular school environment I didn’t really get enough time to put my nose inside a book so in a way the pandemic has helped me finish books I had been wanting to read. Another thing I also started doing is going on walks down the neighborhood with my family, actually my family avoided to go out when the pandemic first started but as time passed we would “get out of the house and walk” for me it was nice to get to smell the fresh air and see trees as a nature lover but at the same time it was really sad seeing the streets lonelier than usual. As for my health I get stress from time to time but not often. Some things I do to ease my stress or troubles is either watching movies, videos, and listening to music which I have been find really helpful. Although I haven’t reached out to anyone to help me with my hardships I’m really thankful that there is teachers and other people and staff we could reach out to when we need help whether it is for a distraction or help with our anxiety or stress.
Samantha Jara • Mar 2, 2021 at 7:09 pm
During these historic times we are living through regarding the corona virus, teenagers battling depression has vastly intensified. With this stay at home order, we have no social interaction whatsoever. Everyday feels the same, meaning it can get boring and these repetitive days can have a heavy impact on us negatively. We thrive off of social interaction. Having people to talk to and comfort you when needed helped us greatly. So when this is all taken away we start to feel isolated with no one to talk to. This feeling of isolation leads to depression. Along with having to maintain school and keep up good grades. When you’re depressed you have no motivation, leading us to not do work and fall behind. When your mental state is bad it makes it hard for you to succeed. In the article it states “The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), reports that nearly 3.2 million 12-17 year olds have had at least one major depressive episode in the last 12 months.” Meaning more teens are emotionally unstable and is making it difficult for us to keep pushing. Altogether “we all need support at some point. Sometimes things are too heavy for us to carry or deal with on our own.”
Dulce Aragon • Mar 2, 2021 at 2:29 pm
This pandemic has changed the lives of many teenagers throughout the world. Before being isolated at home, many teenagers were able to enjoy the presence of having friends and family around and having plans, but now with everyone trying to be isolated from the pandemic, plans had to be cancelled and seeing friends and family is hard now a days since we are all trying to stay isolated. With the pandemic going on, teenagers ¨find themselves face-to-face with mental health problems that are amplifying¨ (Teen Depression and Anxiety Increases due to Coronavirus Pandemic ). Mental health is something that parents should take in mind when it comes down to their children. Teenagers should be able to feel safe when talking about their mental health, especially with their parents. Parents shouldn’t joke about mental health. In the article, Diana states that¨We should all be educated into what mental illness is and how it affects others in order to break those stigmas and provide support because we need it¨(Teen Depression and Anxiety Increases due to Coronavirus Pandemic ). Its hard as a teenager to see the world go by as you stay isolated, its what leads to depression and anxiety. Even though teenagers are going through some rough times, most find the positive side of being isolated. Somethings that teenagers could do to get out of depression and anxiety is have game nights with the family members that they live with, or join a school club (online since of the pandemic), or even start writing in a journal, I personally have found that to be useful for my mental health, so I would recommend for people to start a journal.
Katie Tran • Mar 2, 2021 at 9:52 am
Before quarantine and the pandemic I was content with my grades and never let any of my classes drop down to a C. I never had more than one B at a time and my mental health was far from bad. Because we were in school in person, I didn’t have my parents control everything that went on inside the house, no chores to do during tests, I was able to connect with friends, etc. However that all changed when sophmore year started online and like Maria I also understand,” how difficult it is to feel successful when her depression enables her to focus on her failures rather than her successes”(Teen Depression and Anxiety due to Coronavirus). My grades were slipping faster than a cartoon character stepping on a banana peel and my what used to be good mental health just didn’t exist anymore. I’m sure many can also agree. Teens don’t have a friend’s shoulder to cry on and most don’t have a trusted adult to vent to. Coronavirus, quarantine, and all of the other major problems going on in the world isn’t just affecting the sick, the adults who can’t work to support their families, but also students as well. Students feel pressured to keep up because of the idea that school should be easier since it’s online. However that is far from the truth and online schooling is making education harder for students of any grade or age.
Angelica Covarrubias • Mar 1, 2021 at 11:43 pm
As a teen, it can be very overwhelming right now, especially being in high school. Most of us have constant assignments and tests, where sometimes we forget to turn in. Quarantine has brought out our feelings even more. “At the beginning of the pandemic, it was fine because she was used to being lonely,” I too can agree to this. Ever since I was in elementary, I have dealt with bullying, so I always felt alone and even till this day. I am scared of being alone, but my mind is constantly telling me I am, which makes me really paranoid and self conscious. “…focus on something that distracts her from what’s hurting her inside like listening to music,” I also use music to let my mind free itself. Music has gotten me out of my darkest days. I struggle with intrusive thoughts and suicidal ones, so both of those together can make my days miserable. It is also hard to open up about my intrusive thoughts because when I do, people think I am crazy or just weird. It has always been something I have dealt with, so hearing those things all the time makes me feel ashamed of myself. Insomnia and sleep paralysis is something else that I have been getting during quarantine from stress, so I tend to listen to music to prevent that. These are just some of the battles I have been going through. Reminder that whatever emotion or feeling you have, does not define you or represent you. Feelings come and go. They are not permanent. Take time for yourself and be kind to your body and self image.
Paola • Mar 1, 2021 at 10:30 pm
The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have resulted in increased loneliness, stress, anxiety, and depression, among Americans, including many students all around the world. During this period of social isolation, uncertainty and abrupt transitions, students are prone to further worsening these feelings. The article had stated that, “The pressure is real…” and I couldn’t agree more. The pressure of having to succeed only seemed to worsen during this pandemic for some people, including myself. Maria had stated, “… the hardest part about getting over something is asking for help.” and that is something that I agree with. There’s something about asking for help that almost feels embarrassing in a way because it basically requires surrendering control to someone else. We all have moments in our lives when we require the assistance of others and I think this pandemic has really helped people reach out to teachers and staff.
vanessa • Mar 1, 2021 at 12:51 pm
This global pandemic has turned many teenager’s lives upside down due to being isolated all the time. Isolation led to teenagers being indoors all the time, not being able to communicate with friends, or being able to hang out with friends. This allowed teenagers to feel very depressed because on top of feeling alone all the time they still had to deal with school and trying to be the perfect student. School has been one of many reasons why teenagers aren’t as happy anymore because they have to deal with keeping up with school and trying to get good grades. Before this pandemic started many teenagers did not feel this way because although school was still stressful back then, they still had friends who would keep them comfortable. Many teenagers struggle with ¨ the pressure to stay happy and focused as well as to succeed in online school¨ ( teen depression and anxiety due to coronavirus ). This causes teens to feel anxious because they have to put all their effort to follow people’s expectations to be the perfect teen but little do other people know that it is incredibly draining to make others happy. In the article, Maria states that ¨ She believes that the hardest part about getting over something is asking for help¨ ( teen depression and anxiety due to coronavirus). I agree with this because asking for help can be hard because many will think that feeling this way is crazy or it’s just the stage of being a teenager but asking for help is always good. Overall, the pandemic has brought depression and anxiety to most teens.
Mrs. Parga • Feb 28, 2021 at 5:03 pm
As a teacher, it has been difficult to recognize when students need help, so I am thankful that many students feel comfortable enough to reach out to teachers and staff when they are feeling overwhelmed. I have appreciated the periodic videos in the Grizzly Broadcast to highlight places and people to contact and reach out to when anyone is feeling depressed and anxious. I also appreciate the clubs and activities that have been highlighted to show students what activities are available for them to join and make connections with peers.