Coronavirus lockdowns have blurred young people鈥檚 perceptions and emotions, says our member Alison Hotchkiss.
She likened many children鈥檚 experiences to going to sleep in a colourful world and waking up in greyscale.
鈥淟ike the Wizard of Oz, only in reverse,鈥� she said.
Children's Mental Health Week
Alison, who is a children and young people person-centred counsellor based in Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland, was speaking at the start of Children鈥檚 Mental Health Week.
She said: 鈥淚magine growing up where your world was as colourful as you wanted it to be, you had as much choice and freedom, you knew how your world worked and had all your rites of passage ahead of you.
鈥淓arning or learning, you knew what was available to you. Exams. Leaving school. College. University. Travel. Career.
鈥淭hen one day you woke up and your colourful world was now greyscale 鈥� not even as clear as black or white, but a blurry undefined, ever changing grey.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e lost. Everything is new. Everything is unknown. Like the Wizard of Oz only in reverse.鈥�
Uncertainty and confusion
Alison said that the uncertainty for adults during the pandemic added to the confusion for young people.
鈥淭eenagers are a at stage in their life when they鈥檙e learning independence,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey look to others for reference and yearn for a sense of belonging.
鈥淵et now they鈥檙e struggling.聽 But it isn鈥檛 just them. The people they would look to for guidance, they鈥檙e in the same situation.
鈥淧erhaps furloughed parents have become unemployed parents. As young people are at home, they hear of adults difficulties and their own situation becomes darker.鈥�
Alison said that counsellors in education settings are 鈥渧ital鈥� to help young people process what鈥檚 happening around them.
School counselling campaign
We鈥檙e campaigning for paid counselling provision for all young people in England鈥檚 secondary schools and FE colleges.
And Alison said: 鈥淗umans adapt. Which is why having qualified counsellors in places of education is so vital.
鈥淥ur young people may need accessible mental health support to find their way in the world with post-lockdown. Perhaps, it may be needed by all of us,鈥� she added.
If you want to speak to a 香港六合彩精准资料 counsellor, you can find one near you via our therapist directory.