Colman Noctor: Let’s not forget the emotional needs of young adults 

A recent report highlights the lasting emotional damage the pandemic has had on 18 to 23-year-olds 

Picture: iStock 

The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental health of young adults, according to research carried out by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

Analysing data from the 2020 Growing Up in Ireland survey, the researchers found that 55% of young women and 40% of young men were classified as depressed. The figure for young men aged 22 is almost double that of two years ago.

Commenting on the report, ESRI research professor Emer Smyth said: "The levels of depression are very high and concerning" and "reflect the massive disruption of the pandemic on young adults' experience of employment, education and day-to-day social activities". 

The ESRI report found that the loss of employment and the disruption to young people's social activities during the pandemic significantly impacted their mental health, with more than 80% reporting having less face-to-face contact with their friends than before the pandemic. The isolation created by the rolling lockdowns seems to have had the most significant negative impact.

Developmental delay was not immediately visible during the pandemic and the impact of lockdown may only have become apparent over time.

While the study linked reduced contact with friends to increased depression in young women, spending less time playing sports and less time outdoors during the pandemic were linked to higher depression rates among men.

The difficulties among young adults described in this report will inevitably place considerable demands on community mental health services, with Smyth saying that providing adequate mental health supports for young adults was "a matter of urgency".

Arrested development

The findings of this report reflect what I see in my clinical work. The young adult population seem to be hugely impacted by events of the last two years.

Our worries were concentrated on younger children because the developmental milestones are more tangible. In early and middle childhood, we can see where learning and social delays happen because there is a close adult presence in their activities. For example, primary school children are well scaffolded and reap the benefits of having one teacher who is familiar with their functioning and can provide more informed scrutiny of their behaviour.

This ability to monitor progress and regress decreases in secondary school. Due to the sheer volume of numbers, it is much harder to monitor their developmental trajectory, and with different teachers for different subjects,  anonymity is more likely.

However, the young adult population (aged 18-23) is the group that may have slipped through the observation net the most. Many in this age bracket are likely to have transitioned from childhood to adulthood over the past two years and may have largely gone unnoticed because of the fragmented nature of their lives.

Young adults are typically quite independent, and many use the learnings of adolescence to manage their lives. The traditional progression to young adulthood involves starting a part-time job, attending a course or training programme, and perhaps living independently for the majority of the week, only arriving home at weekends to get their clothes washed and fill their bags with food for the following week. However, a combination of factors, including the pandemic disruption and inflationary rental costs, has meant that many are still living at home and functioning like teenagers. The opportunities to get a part-time job and develop a sense of responsibility were not available to many of them. As a result, they may lack the maturity of the same age group of other years.

Too much, too young

Even before the pandemic, childhood was shrinking and children were becoming older sooner. Much of this is due to exposure to developmentally inappropriate material such as YouTube / TikTok videos and news stories aimed at an older audience. This exposure has influenced their actions, choices and activities without nurturing their emotional maturity. Younger children appear older because of their fashion sense, appearance or language but this is not in sync with their emotional immaturity. Acting older than you feel is not good for children. Though they may request to be treated like an older child in terms of their access to certain types of media or the wanting to dress in ways similar to their peers, many find the process anxiety-provoking and are unable to cope with appearing older in the world demands of them.

This socio-cultural shift has undoubtedly contributed to an increase in the number of children presenting with mental health difficulties previously only seen in older children. Traditionally the early onset of a condition like anorexia would be around second year in secondary school (14-15 years old). However, over the last eight years, child mental health practitioners have noticed children much younger, from fifth and sixth class in primary school, developing these conditions.

Despite childhood shrinking, adolescence seems to be extending. It was noticeable in the ESRI report that those in the 18-21-year-old age group are less independent than previous generations. The number of young adults who still rely heavily on their parents to assist in their decision-making is far more visible than before.  This is noticeable in my clinical work, where parents seem to be deeply involved in young adults' decision-making around subject choices, friendships and hobbies. Despite being seemingly quite mature, the development of their ability to be autonomous thinkers seems to be delayed and many young adults rely on their parents to schedule therapeutic appointments with me.
The pandemic had a catastrophic effect on young people's opportunities to develop independence, which can be seen in trends emerging in third-level education. In two institutes I have worked in during the pandemic, members of the faculty teams have discussed concerns about the mental health of this age group. The students who attended courses over the pandemic appear different in terms of social skills and their ability to function independently.

Before the pandemic,  there was inevitably an audible hum of chatter as I approached the classroom. However, the more recent intake of students is a lot quieter. I have often checked my diary to ensure I have the right room because of the quietness of these groups.

Mental health difficulties

Colleagues have told me there's been an increase in students requesting extenuating circumstances or exemptions when submitting work due to their mental health difficulties. The most common issue described by these students is loneliness. So much so that some institutions are designing workshops to assist new entrants to facilitate friendships and combat the disconnect and loneliness that can happen on college campuses. It is sad to think that this might be necessary, but unfortunately this is the reality of their experience.

Because of their adult chronological age, this generation may lose out when it comes to their social and emotional development. We need to meet them where they are, not where we want them to be.

It is easier to remedy social and emotional losses in younger age groups, and I can see it in my children (aged 11, nine and seven). They are having a wonderful time of late, between recent school tours and sports days. Then there's a pending family holiday and a series of summer camps over the next two months.

It is more challenging to facilitate young adults, but we still need to be patient with them and help them catch up. I would ask that all third-level institutions be mindful of this age group's emotional needs and consider emphasising the social aspect of college life and the curriculum during the first semester. I would also appeal to employers to give this group a chance and be patient with them - they may need more support and direction than previous generations.

Finally, I would ask all parents of adult children to step back and allow them to become autonomous decision-makers. The temptation to 'do for' our children is hard to resist and can continue even through adulthood, but this group need practice. Empower them to make decisions, encourage them to socialise and facilitate opportunities for them to have face-to-face fun. This might mean more lifts into town or further afield, but investing in young adults' emotional and social development may be well worth the cost in the long run.

In her ESRI report, Smyth says it is "a matter of urgency" to provide adequate mental health support for young adults. The time to reach out and offer support is now.

• Dr Colman Noctor is a child psychotherapist